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Islam Makhachev has expressed his confidence that Khabib Nurmagomedov would be victorious over Sean Strickland if he ever returned to the UFC. Khabib Nurmagomedov retired from mixed martial arts over three years ago, leaving behind an undefeated record in his professional career.
Many fans hoped that he would come back someday, but it seems unlikely that he will. His friend and training partner Islam Makhachev, on the other hand, is the current lightweight champion, after he defeated Charles Oliveira last year.
He will defend his title for the second time against Alexander Volkanovski this weekend. In spite of his preparation, he has taken some time to state (via Instagram) that he thinks that Khabib Nurmagomedov would have no trouble beating UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland if he came back.
“Today I was asked: ‘Can Khabib come back and beat Sean Strickland in a championship fight?’. I can answer with certainty that he can do it with ease. It’s been three years since Khabib retired, but he never skips a training session. I can say without doubt, if he wants to, it’ll be effortless for him.”
Islam Makhachev and Khabib Nurmagomedov have a close relationship, as we all know. However, it’s a bold claim to suggest that he can move up 30 pounds in weight and still beat the middleweight champ