Khabib Nurmagomedov believes Ilia Topuria\u2019s time at the top of the lightweight division will last only as long as the UFC doesn\u2019t book him against Arman Tsarukyan.<\/p>\n
Topuria is the UFC lightweight champion and Tsarukyan is ranked No. 1 in the division. It\u2019s the toughest fight you could make for both men, but we probably won\u2019t get to see it next. Tsarukyan pulled out of his last lightweight title opportunity with an injured back,<\/a> giving everyone in the top five an excuse to refuse to fight him. And Topuria went so far as to say he\u2019d rather relinquish the belt<\/a> than fight Tsarukyan next.<\/p>\n In Nurmagomedov\u2019s mind, it\u2019s also because Topuria has never faced a wrestler like Tsarukyan before.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t see Topuria having a chance,\u201d Khabib said. \u201cArman fights too well at range against strikers. He keeps his distance well, works better with his kicks. And now Arman has improved a lot. He has footage that he can study and analyze. If they fought three years ago, maybe he wouldn\u2019t have been as cautious. But now, you can clearly see what dangers Topuria brings. I believe right now, the best lightweight is Tsarukyan.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201c[He will win] due to his MMA style, not only wrestling,\u201d he continued. \u201cArman can take people down, he has good elbows on the ground. Very good elbows. He can grapple, submit, take the back. He won\u2019t [go into dangerous striking distance with Topuria]. There\u2019s already enough footage to study. I\u2019d say it\u2019s 80-20 in Arman\u2019s favor.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHis wrestling, his pressure, his physicality, it all matters. He\u2019s taller by almost 10 centimeters, if I\u2019m not mistaken. He\u2019s heavier, and on fight night he\u2019ll be the bigger man. And of course, wrestling always plays a huge role. Especially in fights like this.\u201d<\/p>\n