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Islam Makhachev refuses to kick Ilia Topuria while he is down.

Topuria was riding a wave of momentum and had seemingly been on the fast track to legendary status before Justin Gaethje provided a reality check. “El Matador†became a two-division champion rather quickly, and he was sure that his first lightweight title defense would be a successful one at UFC Freedom 250 back in June. Despite having some success and even dropping Gaethje with a body shot, it was clear that “The Highlight†was doing significant damage with his boxing.

Topuria kept moving forward, which ultimately was his downfall. He reportedly suffered a broken orbital before failing to get off his stool for the final round. Gaethje handed Topuria the first loss of his pro MMA career via fourth-round corner stoppage.

While one might've expected Makhachev to pour salt in the wound given Topuria's desire to fight him, that's not the case. Speaking to UFC Hall of Famer Demetrious Johnson, Makhachev said he hopes to see “El Matador†make a strong comeback.

“He's still young bro, he has time. I hope he will come back,†Makhachev said. “Ilia's a good fighter bro. He has good punches, good wrestling. If he focuses, maybe he'll be champion again. But this fight changed his life. But we don't know which way.â€

Topuria has been seen in public without his sunglasses, and it appears his face has been healing quickly. Some are still wondering if the beating Topuria suffered against Gaethje will lead to him being more hesitant when striking. Topuria's boxing had been his bread and butter, and it earned him huge knockouts over the likes of Alexander Volkanovski, Max Holloway, and Charles Oliveira.

Are you surprised by Islam Makhachev's encouraging words for Ilia Topuria? Sound off in the comments below.

This article appeared first on BJPENN.COM

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Umar Nurmagomedov takes exception to Merab Dvalishvili's actions during the inaugural Real American Freestyle show.

Back in July, Dvalishvili had a skirmish with Nurmagomedov's friend in the crowd. For years, “The Machine†has alleged that Nurmagomedov's team has heckled him, which has led to some crowd and backstage incidents at events. As far as the former UFC bantamweight titleholder's foe is concerned, the brawls expose a lack of composure and professionalism.

During an interview with Adam Zubayraev, Nurmagomedov criticized Dvalishvili for not keeping himself under control during shows (via MMAFighting).

“He's the one who has to live with it,†Nurmagomedov said. “For example, can you imagine a Georgian coming up to me in Dagestan? … If a Georgian tells me not to talk to Merab, and I hit him from behind and insult him in my own language, I can't imagine myself doing that. But as a person, how do you live with that?

“And the people who defend it, that means there's something wrong there. You have to call wrong things wrong. No matter who does it.â€

Nurmagomedov and Dvalishvili could be on the road to an eventual rematch at some point. Nurmagomedov fell short in his bid to capture the UFC Bantamweight Championship from “The Machine†back in early 2025. Dvalishvili won the fight via unanimous decision, but there has been no love lost between the two.

That rematch will have to wait, as Dvalishvili is rumored to be challenging Petr Yan for the 135-pound gold in a trilogy fight this fall. Meanwhile, Nurmagomedov is set for an Aug. 29 showdown with Song Yadong in Shanghai. If both Nurmagomedov and Dvalishvili emerge victorious in their next fight, then talks of part two would likely grow louder.

Do you think we'll eventually see a rematch between Umar Nurmagomedov and Merab Dvalishvili? Let us know what you think in the comments below.

This article appeared first on BJPENN.COM

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Ian Machado Garry believes that when it comes to recent opposition, his resume surpasses Islam Makhachev's.

Garry will look to take the welterweight title from Makhachev when they collide in the UFC 330 headliner on Saturday. Makhachev's accolades and elite grappling have led many to believe it'll be a successful title defense for the top pound-for-pound fighter in MMA today. Garry sees things far different, and he even envisions a knockout victory to win his first UFC title.

The Irish challenger's confidence is sky high, and he told Brett Okamoto for ESPN MMA that his resume as of late has been more impressive than what the 170-pound champion has faced (via MMAJunkie).

“If you look at the people we've fought, if you look at my last five opponents vs. Islam's last five opponents, in my opinion, it's not a discussion whose are more difficult,†Machado Garry said. “When you look at who I've fought: Belal Muhammad, Shavkat Rakhmonov, Carlos Prates, MVP (Page), those four are four of the trickiest fighters on the planet. All of them present real, real danger. When you look at JDM (Della Maddalena), Renato Moicano, Dustin Poirier, and Volkanovski, if I'm correct – as much as Volkanovski is a legend of the sport, and Dustin Poirier is a legend of the sport, they're not as dangerous as the guys I've just mentioned.â€

Makhachev has said that Garry has the same bravado as his other opponents who have fallen to him. The welterweight ruler has promised to take more risks on Saturday than he did to win the title against Jack Della Maddalena. He's also predicting a finish over Garry in Philadelphia.

We're right in the thick of UFC 330 fight week. Be sure to keep it locked on BJPenn.com for the latest updates throughout the week prior to Friday's weigh-ins, and of course fight night.

What do you make of Ian Machado Garry's claim that his resume has been better than Islam Makhachev's? Drop a comment below.

This article appeared first on BJPENN.COM