Islam Makhachev and Kamaru Usman square off, Khabib Nurmagomedov jokingly separates rivals
In a recent video from UFC 324 weekend, Islam Makhachev and Kamaru Usman met backstage as fans and pundits continue to speculate over a potential fight between the two men.
Right now, Islam Makhachev is widely considered to be the pound for pound best fighter in mixed martial arts. If he can pick up a few more wins, there is every chance that he will start to be talked about as one of the greatest of all time. He is a two-weight world champion, and after defeating Jack Della Maddalena, many were immediately starting to question who could challenge him first.
Then we have Kamaru Usman. It’s no secret that the former king of the welterweight division isn’t too far away from retiring from the sport, but before he goes, he wants to go in there and reclaim his throne. Of course, that’s going to be easier said than done against someone like Islam Makhachev.
In a recent video clip, we can see Islam Makhachev and Kamaru Usman somewhat ‘squaring off’ – with the great Khabib Nurmagomedov in the middle of it all.
Khabib Nurmagomedov separates Islam Makhachev and Kamaru Usman
In the clip, Usman is seen going up to Makhachev backstage. The two exchange some words, with Khabib jokingly intervening, telling them both to “be nice”. While we’re fully aware that they are likely just messing around, it does further the idea that Usman will indeed be the next man to challenge for the UFC welterweight championship.
In terms of merit, you could definitely make an argument against it, and many people will continue to do so in the weeks ahead. Still, Makhachev wants to get another big name on his resume, and while ‘The Nigerian Nightmare’ may no longer be in his prime, he could still be dangerous depending on his approach.
