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Khabib Nurmagomedov has some big praise for Islam Makhachev in the aftermath of UFC 330.

Makhachev was in search of history this past Saturday in Philadelphia. The king of the welterweight division had his first successful 170-pound title defense, and broke a UFC record for most consecutive wins. Makhachev utilized his grappling and had success in the standup against Ian Machado Garry to fight his way to a unanimous decision.

Nurmagomedov was the main voice in Makhachev's corner on fight night, and he hopped on Instagram to share the utmost praise for his longtime friend and protege.

“There's a word: Achievement,†Nurmagomedov wrote. “In sports, it means a lot, and Islam and ‘achievement' are synonyms. He has reached the pinnacle of this sport, broken the record for the longest winning streak in UFC history, and is rightfully considered one of the best athletes to ever step into the Octagon. May the Almighty keep you safe, Brother.â€

Prior to Saturday's big UFC on Paramount+ event, longtime color commentator Joe Rogan said he wouldn't be surprised if Makhahcev were to retire with a win over Garry, but the 170-pound ruler doesn't plan to wrap things up just yet. Makhachev will be taking some time to heal up following a hard-fought win over Garry, but he wants to fight again prior to Ramadan.

Top welterweight contenders Carlos Prates and Michael Morales were in attendance for UFC 330. Makhachev has said he believes Prates is ahead of Morales on the pecking order. The champion believes Morales has been too inactive and needs to at least win a No. 1 contender fight.

As for Garry, he issued a video statement on his Instagram page. “The Future†claimed to have taken Makhachev to the wire, and he still believes he can become a UFC titleholder.

Who should be the next challenger for Islam Makhachev's UFC welterweight title? Join in on the conversation in the comments below.

This article appeared first on BJPENN.COM

Queensberry Promotions and Matchroom Boxing

Zuffa Boxing frontman Dana White has no clue if Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua will ever share the ring.

Fury vs. Joshua has long been viewed as the biggest UK boxing match that can be booked. The problem is, neither side has been on the same page to make the bout a reality. Many believe “The Gypsy King†and Joshua should've fought during the peak of their careers, and White is one of those detractors.

During the UFC 330 post-fight presser, White questioned if Fury and Joshua actually have a desire to fight each other (via MMAMania).

“Listen, this f–king saga, we'll see how this whole thing plays out,†White said. “They either want to fight or they don't. I don't know.â€

White said there is still a substantial amount of money to be made for a potential Fury vs. Joshua fight. Even so, the UFC boss said nothing can materialize if the fighters don't actually want it to happen.

“To make a fight, two guys have to want to fight,†White said. “Period. End of story. Contracts and this and that? There's a lot of f–king money for grabs in this fight. Do you want to fight or do you not want to fight? I don't give a s–t one way or the other. I'd be happy [if the fight was in the UK]. I don't give a s–t. Do you want to fight or do you not want to fight?â€

White agrees with those who feel Fury vs. Joshua is long overdue, and he hopes the stars align to finally pull the matchup off.

“The fight should have happened ten years ago, is it going to happen now? We'll see.â€

Both Fury and Joshua recently had tune-up fights prior to their potential matchup. Fury traveled to Pattaya in Thailand to score a seventh round corner stoppage over Mariusz Wach. Joshua had far more difficulty in his clash with Kristian Prenga, surviving two knockdowns before turning the tide with a second-round knockout win.

Do you think Tyson Fury vs. Anthony Joshua will finally happen, or will it forever be a “what if†story? Drop your opinion below.

This article appeared first on BJPENN.COM

Zuffa LLC

Islam Makhachev set a new UFC record for the most consecutive wins this past Saturday, and Dana White wonders if the new mark will ever be broken.

Makhachev earned his 17th consecutive victory when he earned a unanimous decision over Ian Machado Garry in his first welterweight title defense. Makhachev broke UFC Hall of Famer Anderson Silva's previous winning streak record, and many believe he has a good chance of increasing that number significantly.

Speaking to reporters during the UFC 330 post-fight presser, White said he may never see a fighter break Makhachev's record (h/t MMAJunkie).

“If he keeps going like he says he's going to keep going, I mean, it might never be beaten, at least while I'm alive,†White said. “So it's very impressive what he did. And again, my thoughts on how Ian performed tonight, so like I said, you can flip that whole script and then drop it on Islam on how impressively he beat a big, strong, rangy guy who was doing damn good work. Islam did everything he needed to do to beat this guy. Like I said, there's weight classes for a reason, and tonight's matchup was a perfect example of that.â€

White has been critical of Garry's efforts at UFC 330. While the UFC boss believes Garry is talented, he thinks “The Future†lacked killer instinct in the final stanza. He also admitted Garry's respectful gestures in the last stages of the fight drove him nuts.

Makhachev isn't sure exactly when he'll back inside the Octagon, but he does intend to be back before Ramadan. If the UFC welterweight titleholder can avoid any injury setbacks, he'll likely compete again by January 2027.

Do you think Islam Makhachev will continue extending his record until he eventually retires, or will someone solve the puzzle? Let us know your opinion below.

This article appeared first on BJPENN.COM