Khabib Nurmagomedov believes Ilia Topuria would have no chance in a title fight with Arman Tsarukyan.
Topuria knocked out Charles Oliveira at UFC 317 in June to become the new champion at lightweight and has since been rumoured to face Tsarukyan in his first defence of the belt.
Justin Gaethje and Paddy Pimblett could also be in line to fight Topuria for the lightweight title.
The UFC, though, yet to confirm who will challenge ‘El Matador’ next.
Technically, as the highest-ranked fighter behind Topuria at lightweight (aside from Islam Makhachev, who has unofficially moved up to welterweight), Tsarukyan is most likely to be the next contender at 155lbs.
However, Gaethje has insisted several times that he will retire from MMA if he isn’t granted the title shot.
Meanwhile a fight between Pimblett and Topuria is the most lucrative opportunity for UFC CEO Dana White, given he has just signed a $7.7 billion broadcast deal with Paramount.
But if Tsarukyan is the man to challenge Topuria for lightweight gold next, UFC legend Khabib has predicted a short title reign for the Georgian-born Spanish fighter.
What did Khabib say about Topuria vs Tsarukyan?
“I don’t see Topuria having a chance,” Nurmagomedov told Kamil Gadzhiyev on YouTube, in a video translated from Russian, speaking on a potential fight between Topuria and Tsarukyan.
“Arman fights too well at range against strikers. He keeps his distance well, works better with his kicks, and now Arman has improved a lot.
“He has footage that he can study and analyse. If they had fought three years ago, maybe he wouldn’t have been as cautious, but now you can clearly see the dangers Topuria brings.”
Khabib then named Tsarukyan as the UFC’s current best lightweight, and said the Armenian fighter would beat Topuria ‘due to his MMA style.’
Ilia Topuria's Last Five UFC Fights
Undeniable
- Def. Charles Oliveira via first-round KO at UFC 317 in June 2025 (won lightweight title)
- Def. Max Holloway via third-round KO at UFC 308 in October 2024 (retained featherweight title)
- Def. Alexander Volkanovski via second-round KO at UFC 298 in February 2024 (won featherweight title)
- Def. Josh Emmett via unanimous decision at UFC Fight Night in June 2023
- Def. Bryce Mitchell via second-round submission at UFC 282 in December 2022
“Arman can take people down,” Khabib added.
“He has good elbows on the ground… He can grapple, submit, and take the back.
“He won’t [go into dangerous striking with Topuria]. There’s already enough footage to study.
“I’d say it’s 80 per cent to 20 per cent in Arman’s favour. His wrestling, his pressure, his physicality. It all matters.
“He’s taller by almost 10cm, if I’m not mistaken. He’s heavier, and on fight night, he’ll be the bigger man.
“And of course, wrestling always plays a huge role, especially fights like this.”
Khabib also made a good point by suggesting Topuria hasn’t fought an elite wrestler like Tsarukyan yet.
Topuria won his first six UFC fights and became the featherweight champion by knocking out MMA veteran Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 298 in February 2024.
‘El Matador’ defended the strap once against Max Holloway eight months later before deciding to move up a division and contest for lightweight gold.
He then knocked out Oliveira in an interim lightweight title bout in June to become one of only a few fighters to have held a UFC belt in two different weight classes.
Volkanovski, Holloway, and Oliveira aren’t necessarily primarily known for their wrestling skills in the Octagon, and this is an area Khabib believes a fighter like Tsarukyan can take advantage of.
“We all know the level of wrestling that Holloway and Charles Oliveira had,” Khabib concluded.
“It’s practically non-existent. They are strikers. They went forward and got caught.
“But a guy who grabs a leg and wrestles, Topuria hasn’t faced that. He’s only fought strikers. Volkanovski doesn’t wrestle; the others don’t wrestle.
“Name at least one of his opponents who uses even 20 per cent wrestling. Not 50 per cent, just 20 per cent.
“It’s an interesting fight. I know the UFC is cautious. They don’t want to throw him to Topuria too quickly.
“Right now, Topuria is a bigger star than Arman. But if Arman gets a big win, where can they hide him? They won’t be able to.”