Is the biggest matchup in MMA actually Islam Makhachev vs. Ilia Topuria? According to Khabib Nurmagomedov, the answer is yes.
As Islam Makhachev prepares to challenge Jack Della Maddalena for the welterweight title at UFC 322 this Saturday in New York City, the conversation around future superfights has already started. Makhachev vacated his lightweight title earlier this year after four successful defenses, giving Ilia Topuria the opportunity to claim the vacant belt with a devastating knockout of Charles Oliveira in June.
The two champions are currently competing in different weight divisions, but the idea of a crossover clash continues to build momentum. Speaking with Josh Thomson on YouTube, Khabib did not hold back when ranking which potential fight would be the biggest the UFC could make.
Khabib said the magnitude of a Makhachev vs. Topuria fight easily surpasses the long-discussed Jon Jones vs. Alex Pereira matchup. In his words, the top matchup in all of MMA right now features the two most dominant fighters of the new era.
“I think Topuria vs. Islam can be the biggest fight,” Khabib said. “Not Jon Jones and Pereira.”
Jon Jones, widely considered one of the greatest fighters in history, has won 28 of his 30 career bouts. His only official loss is a disqualification, and his no-contest against Daniel Cormier came after a failed drug test. Although Jones retired in June, he quickly expressed interest in fighting again in 2026 at the proposed UFC White House event, with Pereira heavily teased as his opponent.
Pereira is currently the UFC light heavyweight champion for the second time and previously held the middleweight title as well. He has openly supported the idea of a superfight with Jones, and many fans see it as one of the biggest possible matchups.
But Khabib believes Makhachev vs. Topuria is on another level entirely. Both fighters sit near the top of every pound-for-pound ranking, both are in their prime, and both have unmatched momentum. While Jones and Pereira would create a historic spectacle, Khabib thinks it does not match the competitive significance of Makhachev vs. Topuria.
“Still a big fight, but not on that level,” Khabib said about Jones vs. Pereira. “I don’t think it is the same level.”
Khabib also commented on the rumored White House event, suggesting that if the UFC actually moves forward with it, the card should heavily feature American fighters to match the location and atmosphere.
“If you are making a White House fight, it has to be more American fighters,” he said. “It seems like it has to be like this, the way I see it.”
Whether Makhachev vs. Topuria happens at lightweight or welterweight, Khabib believes it would be the defining fight of this generation — and likely the biggest in UFC history.
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