Khabib Nurmagomedov recently gave his opinion about one of the largest fighting of 2025.
A reference to Islam Makhachev was everything the Nelk boys needed to face the power of Ilia Topuria during their recent live stream.
For many fans, this potential matchup is still at the top of their most desired lists, but for the time being they have gone their own way.
Makhachev and his team have set their sights on Jack della Maddalena while preparing for the title of the Welterweight after leaving the lightweight belt.
Although a collision between the current and former 155 pound champions would be huge, Nurmagomedov recently claimed that it would not be the most difficult test of Makhachev.
Photo by Giuseppe Cacace/AFP via Getty images
Javier Mendez agrees with the assessment of Khabib Nurmagomedov with regard to Islam Makhachev vs Jack della Maddalena
In an interview about the Hustle show, Khabib Nurmagomedov said that, in his opinion, Jack della Maddalena will be a more difficult test for Islam Makhachev than Ilia Topuria.
He stated that a combination of the size of the welterweight champion, boxing and scrambling skills makes him “more worries” about this matchup than a potential fight with Topuria.
Javier Mendez, who has been in the corner of both Nurmagomedov and Makhachev, has reflected similar points of view in the past, in the conviction that Della Maddalena is a more difficult puzzle to solve.
He spoke in a recent interview with MMA Junkie about the recent comments of 'The Eagle' and how he thinks the former champion has hit the nail.
'JDM' may not have the same profile or spectacular knockouts, but it is clear that the Makhachev team is preparing for a huge test for later this year.
“I will have to agree a million percent with Khabib, I think this is our most difficult test. This is the greatest responsibility of mine and Khabib to ensure that we get Islam in top form.
“Ik denk dat wat JDM zo gevaarlijk maakt, is dat hij al een tijdje ongeslagen is. Hij heeft een behoorlijk lange win -streak gehad en het feit dat deze kerel het extreem goed combineert. Hij gaat naar het lichaam, naar het hoofd, en hij blijft niet zomaar aan hoofdjacht. Hij mengt het allemaal. Hij gaat lichaam, stoten, stoten, stoten, stoot, stoot, stoot, stoot, stoot, stoot, stoot, stoot, stoot, stoot, stoot, stoot, stoot, Pump, punch, punch, punch, punch, punch, punch, bump, punch, bump, bump, bump and the kick comes.
Javier Mendez says that Islam Makhachevet laid its welterweight goals a few years ago
In the same interview, Javier Mendez spoke about when Islam Makhachev told him for the first time that he wanted to go to good weight.
Many fans were disappointed not to see him confronted with Ilia Topuria as a result of this decision, but it is clear that the Russian could have competed on a new weight class.
Mendez claims that the lightweight champion threw him the idea of breaking the record of 155 pounds title defenses before he went up a weight class after he successfully defended the belt at UFC 284 in 2023 for the first time.
“This whole idea about Islam that went to Welterweight was already in his head before Topuria was even in the photo, so this is not something that tried to avoid Islam. No, he wanted the old fight.”