“I’m not going to give him a shot right away because he hasn’t done all the work he was supposed to in his weight class. There are still contenders he needs to beat, but he doesn’t want to cut weight anymore. Let him move up and earn his shot.” Islam Makhachev said earlier this year, firmly shutting the door on a fight with Ilia Topuria—who’s now set to move to 155lbs and stake his claim for the Dagestani’s title. Amidst this whole shake-up, ‘La Leyenda’ has decided to vacate his featherweight title. Moreover, that very belt will be up for grabs at UFC 314 when Alexander Volkanovski takes on Diego Lopes.

However, Ilia Topuria currently seems stuck in no-man’s land. The reason? Well, the reigning 155-pound champ has made it clear: before ‘La Leyenda’ gets a title shot, he needs to prove himself against top contenders in the division. But just last month, the Georgian export dropped a bombshell in front of Spanish media, revealing that Dana White personally “promised” him an immediate title shot—if he agreed to give up the featherweight strap.

Despite the reported deal, no official confirmation has surfaced—sparking growing frustration within Ilia Topuria’s camp. Leading the charge is his close friend and fellow Georgian, bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili. During a recent appearance on The MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani, ‘The Machine’ didn’t mince words. He called out the entire ‘Team Khabib’ camp, pointing out the double standard. ‘The Machine’ recalled how they were quick to criticize him for hesitating to fight ‘top contender’ Umar Nurmagomedov, yet now Islam Makhachev is avoiding ‘La Leyenda’ in a similar situation.

“Ilia has to fight Islam Makhachev—especially since he vacated his featherweight belt and is no longer at 145. He’s the most deserving contender for the 155 title. But somehow, Islam Makhachev is ignoring him. I’m sure everyone remembers that Islam once told me just one thing at a press conference: ‘Merab, I respect you, but when you have a top contender, you should fight him.’ And I said, ‘Okay, I’m fighting.’ But now that he has a top contender in Ilia Topuria, he’s not fighting him. He’s saying other things instead. We all agree that Ilia deserves this fight more than anyone, and hopefully, it happens.”

Interestingly, this situation mirrors what unfolded just last year. After Merab Dvalishvili dethroned Sean O’Malley at UFC 306, Umar Nurmagomedov and his camp quickly began calling for a title shot. At first, ‘The Machine’ wasn’t buying it—pointing out that Umar had only faced one top-tier opponent in Cory Sandhagen. Still, the callouts didn’t stop. And with pressure mounting from fans and UFC brass alike, Dana White ultimately made the fight official.

When the moment came, Dvalishvili proved exactly why he’s one of the toughest puzzles in MMA. Relying on his relentless pace and deep experience, he outworked Umar over five grueling rounds, handing the Dagestani phenom his first professional loss and snapping his 18-fight unbeaten streak in the process. Now, the ball is in Dana White and the UFC’s court. Will they make Islam Makhachev vs. Ilia Topuria happen? That remains to be seen—especially with Khabib Nurmagomedov in the picture. Let’s take a look at how that might complicate things.

Henry Cejudo points to Khabib Nurmagomedov for halting Islam Makhachev vs. Ilia Topuria fight

Just as leaves don’t stir without the wind, nothing moves in Team Khabib without the guiding hand of Khabib Nurmagomedov. He commands deep influence within his camp, which includes reigning lightweight champion Islam Makhachev, his cousins Umar and Usman Nurmagomedov, and a host of other rising stars making waves in both international and regional MMA scenes.

Nurmagomedov’s leadership only solidified after the passing of his father, Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov. Since then, he has taken full control of the team—not through authority alone, but through the deep respect he commands. His fighters treat him like a trusted elder brother, following his guidance without question. Even though there’s no blood relation between the Hall of Famer and Islam Makhachev, their bond runs deeper than family, forged through years of training together under Abdulmanap’s mentorship. This structure is no secret to those who’ve been around the team—like former two-division UFC champion Henry Cejudo.

Having spent considerable time with Khabib Nurmagomedov and his circle, ‘Triple C’ recently shared his perspective during a chat with MMA Junkie: “I remember talking to Khabib, and Khabib said it’s not fair for Ilia to skip the line and go after the title shot with Islam because that’s all Islam’s been doing. He gave [Alexander] Volkanovski a couple of title [shots] where he has gone up. So I don’t even think it’s going to be Islam’s choice. I think Khabib is going to step in and be like, ‘He needs to fight the No. 1 contender.'”

With Khabib Nurmagomedov now stepping in and taking the reins once again, what do you make of Merab Dvalishvili’s bold criticism? Is this karma coming around for Team Khabib—the same situation they were once vocal about, now knocking on their door with Islam Makhachev? Should Makhachev step up and give Ilia Topuria his rightful title shot? Or is Khabib justified in insisting that the champ wait for a true No. 1 contender? Let us know what you think—drop your thoughts below.