Khabib Nurmagomedov says UFC president Dana White blanked him over Islam Makhachev title shot

Khabib coaches his childhood friend, who is on the verge of competing for lightweight gold in the UFC

(Getty Images)

Khabib Nurmagomedov has said UFC president Dana White did not respond to his text message about Islam Makhachev receiving a lightweight title shot.

Nurmagomedov retired unbeaten as UFC lightweight champion in 2020, and the Russian now helps to coach his childhood friend and compatriot Makhachev, who is ranked fourth in the promotion’s 155lbs division.

Makhachev, 30, has a professional MMA record of 22-1 and is riding a 10-fight win streak. He has secured his last four victories via stoppage.

“Honestly, this is first time since we started talking to each other that [White] don’t respond to me,” Nurmagomedov told ESPN.

“I sent him a message saying: ‘No way someone else can fight for the title, Islam has to be there.’

“He don’t respond. I think he’s busy maybe. It’s okay, everybody makes mistakes,” Nurmagomedov joked.

Islam Makhachev secured a first-round win against Bobby Green in February (Zuffa LLC)

Makhachev has been tipped to face Charles Oliveira for the vacant UFC lightweight title next time out, though the Russian could instead fight Beneil Dariush in a rearranged bout after that contest fell through in February. Bobby Green stepped in for Dariush and lost via first-round TKO.

Oliveira won the lightweight belt last May and retained it in December, but the Brazilian missed weight one day before his scheduled defence against Justin Gaethje this month, and as such he was stripped of the gold.

Oliveira was also then ineligible to win the title against Gaethje, who would have become champion if he had won the fight.

Oliveira defeated Gaethje via first-round submission, however, to establish himself as the UFC’s official No 1 contender in the division.