RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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Islam Makhachev (2nd-L) poses for a picture with his coach Khabib Nurmagomedov (2nd-R) and Russian social media star Hasbulla Magomedov (R) after defeating Charles Oliveira in the lightweight championship at the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) event at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi on October 22, 2022. (Photo by Giuseppe CACACE / AFP) (Photo by GIUSEPPE CACACE/AFP via Getty Images) | AFP via Getty Images
Islam Makhachev has a chance to make history at UFC 330 .
Later tonight (Sat., Aug. 14, 2026), Makhachev attempts to break his shared record with Anderson Silva by extending his current win streak to 17. If he’s able to dispatch Ian Machado Garry , he’ll also score his first Welterweight title defense to accompany the record-setting four defenses he accomplished in the Lightweight division.
Already, Makhachev is more credentialed than his friend and coach, Khabib Nurmagomedov , who retired at the top of his game as an undefeated champion. Makhachev has more UFC wins and more title wins already, yet to some extent, he still lives in the shadow of his longtime training partner. Naturally, when fight fans compared the resume and legacy of the two Russian greats, it’s a lively debate about which man was the superior fighter.
Also known as: who would win?
UFC analyst and fellow American Kickboxing Academy trainee, Daniel Cormier , has more insight into their respective skills than most. When asked about a potential head-to-head, prime vs. prime contest between the two, Cormier couldn’t help but favor Nurmagomedov.
I've waited YEARS for Daniel Cormier to answer this question on the record. pic.twitter.com/nXGkN3cwX7
— RJ Clifford (@RJcliffordMMA) August 14, 2026
“I’ve seen those guys spar, and it was always so fun,” Cormier began on the UFC 330 weigh-in show. “And sparring’s different, but I’m telling you, bro, Khabib had something different. He fought Justin Gaethje and just kind of walked him down, beat him up. Dustin Poirier had him in a guillotine — I never for a second thought he would tap. Then, when he got him in the rear naked, Dustin’s neck was the size of a toothpick. He was going to break his neck with the rear naked choke. He had something that was just different, that you can’t teach. I’m telling you, I don’t know who would have beaten him. Khabib Nurmagomedov would still be the UFC lightweight champion today if he stayed in fighting. That’s how good he was.”
Seeing as no fight between Khabib vs. Islam will ever happen — let alone in some mystical prime vs. prime setting — knowledge from an insider like “DC” is the best we’ll ever get. On the bright side, Khabib and Islam will share the cage in a fashion tonight as a united front opposite Garry, who should provide some interesting challenges to the new Welterweight king.
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