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Daniel Cormier Calls out Khabib Nurmagomedov’s Bold Take on Ilia Topuria’s Potential Bout Against Arman Tsarukyan

Originally posted on FirstSportz | By Ameetosh Dash | Last updated Aug 29, 2025 9:48 AM ET

Ilia Topuria sent Charles Oliveira to the shadow realm at UFC 317 to become the new lightweight champion, and fans are extremely excited to witness his first title defence. The undefeated 17-0 fighter carries incredible knockout power and momentum, which makes him the betting favourite when matched against any contender.

However, UFC Hall of Famer and legendary former champion Khabib Nurmagomedov recently voiced a surprisingly different opinion regarding Topuria’s dominance. One of the most prominent challengers for Topuria’s lightweight crown is none other than the current #1-ranked contender, Arman Tsarukyan.

In a recent interview, Nurmagomedov boldly stated that the Armenian star has an eighty percent chance of dethroning Topuria. After that statement quickly went viral online, countless fans naturally reacted strongly, considering that the Spaniard has knocked out Alexander Volkanovski, Max Holloway, and Oliveira in a row. This included Nurmagomedov’s longtime friend and former AKA teammate, Daniel Cormier, who clearly disagreed on his YouTube channel.

80%-20% is crazy. 80%-20% is hard when anyone’s fighting. The only time 80%-20% could be thought of in fights has been in the case of Khabib and Jon Jones. They’re the only people that have gone through this whole thing without losing. I don’t believe that for one second. I really do disagree with Khabib on that one. There is not a guy in the world that I believe is gonna beat Ilia Topuria 8 out of 10 times.
Daniel Cormier via YouTube

Irrespective of how dominant a fighter appears, in the unpredictable world of MMA, anything is possible, and every underdog always has an opportunity. As Cormier pointed out, only fighters like Nurmagomedov and Jon Jones stayed undefeated in such a competitive sport. At this moment, Topuria seems to be carrying a similar momentum, making his championship reign especially captivating.

Daniel Cormier disagrees with Khabib on Arman vs Ilia Topuria 80-20 claim

"80%-20% is crazy. 80%-20% is hard when anyone’s fighting. The only time 80%-20% could be thought of in fights has been in the case of Khabib and Jon Jones. They’re the only people that have gone… pic.twitter.com/K0EWIeEWnf
— Red Corner MMA (@RedCorner_MMA) August 28, 2025

Apart from that situation, Topuria has already refused to face Tsarukyan in a potential title fight, sparking widespread criticism. Many fans have even compared him to Jones, who avoided fighting Tom Aspinall despite growing demands from the community. Instead, Topuria has shown clear interest in facing Paddy Pimblett or Justin Gaethje, considered an easier matchup but offering significantly bigger pay-per-view potential.

Merab Dvalishvili predicts Ilia Topuria to win against Islam Makhachev

Before Islam Makhachev vacated his lightweight title, his potential fight with Ilia Topuria was one of the most hyped matchups ever. The Dagestani champion eventually decided to move up a division and will now face Jack Della Maddalena at UFC 322 for a second division gold. However, hopes regarding the superfight between Makhachev and Topuria still remain alive among fans.

Recently, Makhachev responded to a fan’s question and confidently vowed that he would absolutely destroy the ‘El Matador’ if the potential fight happens. During a recent interview, Topuria’s friend and the reigning bantamweight champion, Merab Dvalishvili, talked about this fight and its possibility.

I hope it’s going to happen, and it’s going to be a tough fight for Ilia, for sure. It won’t be easy, but Ilia has a big chance. Like I said before, Ilia makes you either shoot him for wrestling, which he will stop, or Ilia will go forward and Islam has to strike with him. And in striking, we all know how Ilya fights, and how dangerous he is, and how knockout power he has. So it’s going to be a tough fight for Ilia, for sure, like every fight is, but I believe he can finish Islam Makhachev.
Merab Dvalishvili via Full Send MMA podcast

Merab Dvalishvili believes Ilia Topuria would finish Islam Makhachev if they ever fought

@fullsendpodcast pic.twitter.com/4bpo5lCxqf
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) August 28, 2025

Makhachev is scheduled to compete at the iconic Madison Square Garden this November, solidifying his move toward a welterweight legacy. Meanwhile, Topuria is expected to make his highly anticipated comeback later this year, although no opponent has yet been finalized.

If both dominant fighters continue stacking impressive wins, UFC CEO Dana White has already teased that this potential mega fight could happen.

This article first appeared on FirstSportz and was syndicated with permission.

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