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Islam Makhachev and Conor McGregor have long shared a rivalry owing to Makhachev's bond with Khabib Nurmagomedov. Most recently, Makhachev even said that McGregor's broken leg at UFC 264 was something the Irishman deserved.
Conor McGregor is currently on a two-fight skid, with both defeats coming against #1 lightweight contender Dustin Poirier. Poirier handed McGregor the first TKO loss of his career earlier this year in the main event of UFC 257. This laid the foundation for a high stakes trilogy fight between the two which headlined UFC 264.
However, the bout ended unexpectedly after McGregor was rendered unfit to continue due to a broken leg at the end of round one. Irrespective of whether he caused the injury, Dustin Poirier emerged the winner via TKO due to doctor stoppage. 'The Notorious' has now dropped to #9 in UFC lightweight rankings while he recovers from a broken tibia.
Meanwhile, Islam Makhachev has jumped up four places on the UFC's lightweight ladder with his recent victory over Thiago Moises. Makhachev put on yet another dominant grappling display to pick up a fourth-round submission win at UFC Vegas 31. Currently ranked at #5, Islam Makhachev is riding a spectacular eight-fight win streak which could soon lead to title contention.
Take a look at five reasons why we should potentially see a clash between Conor McGregor and Islam Makhachev down the line:
#5. The rivalry between Conor McGregor and Islam Makhachev's camps
Islam Makhachev's manager, Rizwan Magomedov, recently said that he would like Makhachev to settle the rivalry with Conor McGregor. The rivalry in question dates back to the most lucrative fight in UFC history. That was when McGregor faced Khabib Nurmagomedov for the lightweight strap at UFC 229.
Conor McGregor notched up the trash talk for that one, leading to a personal feud with the Dagestani's camp. While McGregor lost the fight via fourth-round submission, the rivalry did not end there.
Both McGregor and Khabib's teammates breached the octagon and traded hands in an absolute brawl after the fight. Despite three years having passed since the incident, the two camps continue to nurture a long-standing feud. This definitely provides a good backdrop for Islam Makhachev to take on 'The Notorious' when he makes a return to the octagon.
#4. Conor McGregor insulted Islam Makhachev's coach
Islam Makhachev and Khabib Nurmagomedov go back a long way to their days in Dagestan. There, they trained under the tutelage of Khabib's father, Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov. Hence, Makhachev certainly didn't take kindly to Conor McGregor insulting his former coach.
Abulmanap Nurmagomedov was one of the most respected figures in Russian MMA. He was admitted to intensive care in a military hospital in Moscow last year after suffering a stroke due to complications caused by the coronavirus.
Although Abdulmanap was placed in a coma for heart bypass surgery, Conor McGregor accused the 57-year old of faking his illness. According to 'The Notorious', Khabib's father was faking his battle with COVID-19 just to ‘cover up’ his son’s lack of UFC activity. McGregor commented on a now deleted Instagram post:
"I figured it was all just a cover up about Abdulmanap. A cover up to hide the lack of activity and the pulling out of fights and running away. Good luck but remember – Allah sees all!"
Having been closely associated with Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov, Islam Makhachev will look to get back at Conor McGregor if they clash inside the octagon.
#3. A perfect stylistic matchup
The potential fight between Conor McGregor and Islam Makhachev comes with promises of an exciting stylistic matchup. While McGregor is feared to be a knockout artist, top-ranked fighters have reportedly ducked Makhachev owing to his dominance on the ground.
Conor McGregor has knocked his opponent out 19 times out of the 22 professional wins of his career. Meanwhile, Islam Makhachev holds a 20-1 professional record with 9 submission victories to his name.
A potential matchup between the two will either lead to a highlight-reel knockout from the Irishman or him getting suffocated on the mat by Islam Makhachev.
#2. Islam Makhachev losing could result in Khabib Nurmagomedov's return
Islam Makhachev's close friend and mentor, Khabib Nurmagomedov, announced his retirement from the sport last year. The announcement came after he retained his lightweight strap for a third time against Justin Gaethje at UFC 254.
In an emotional post-fight interview, Khabib cited his father's death as the reason for his abrupt departure. Despite several attempts by UFC president Dana White to bring him back, the former lightweight champion stands firm on his decision to stay retired.
Khabib Nurmagomedov has always been vocal about his title aspirations for Islam Makhachev, who is widely considered to be his prodigy. These aspirations are also shared by coaches and fighters at the American Kickboxing Academy, where both Dagestani athletes currently train.
As AKA awaits a fourth championship, Conor McGregor could derail the Makhachev hype train with an emphatic victory him. This might finally result in Khabib Nurmagomedov making a return to the octagon to settle scores for his friend.
As all other ploys to bring 'The Eagle' back continue to fail, a matchup between Conor McGregor and Islam Makhachev definitely seems worth a try.
#1. A big payday for both fighters
Despite having lost two fights in a row, Conor McGregor has definitely not lost any of his star power. The Irishman continues to generate an enormous number of pay-per-view buys, with UFC 264 reportedly hitting 1.8 million.
What makes the potential fight against Islam Makhachev even more lucrative is the involvement of McGregor's former rival Khabib Nurmagomedov. Having taken his coaching responsibilities seriously, Nurmagomedov would likely be present in Makhachev's corner.
This is bound to add to the fight's appeal as the rivalry between Conor McGregor and Khabib Nurmagomedov is cherished by fight fans. McGregor’s grudge match with Khabib Nurmagomedov remains the most lucrative fight in MMA history as the pair clocked up 2.4 million buys at UFC 229.
