Khabib thinks Usman will beat Ilia Topuria, but the Merab scandal leaves a lot of uncertainty for his future.

Khabib Nurmagomedov believes that his cousin Usman Nurmagomedov is the better fighter and would take a fight against Ilia Topuria. "The Eagle" says his cousin is the better fighter overall.

“In my opinion the more well-rounded fighter. I think Usman.”

Usman would be tested if they ever met inside the cage. Usman has never been beaten in a fight outside the UFC, and Topuria has already beaten some of the biggest names in mixed martial arts. The talk of a potential fight has died down since Usman got into a fight with Merab Dvalishvili in Abu Dhabi.

Khabib Backs Usman's All-Round Skills

Khabib is a hardcore Usman fan and has been keeping an eye on him. He knows how much work Usman has put in to be a great fighter. Clearly the 28-year-old has developed as a hitter and is a threat on the ground.

His recent fight style tells you why he’s one of the best lightweights . Usman beat Paul Hughes twice in 2025 and Archie Colgan in the first round in July 2026. This was the last fight on his PFL deal and he’s now a perfect 22-0 as a pro.

For Topuria, it would be hard in a different way. The fighter, half Georgian and half Spanish, can finish a fight with a single clean punch. He proved he could beat the best, by knocking out Charles Oliveira and Max Holloway. His last fight came in June 2026 at UFC Freedom 250, where he suffered his first loss by Justin Gaethje. 

Merab Dvalishvili Incident Creates Uncertainty for Usman

Usman Nurmagomedov at the moment has to go through some serious legal issues and also has high chances of getting banned from fighting. Usman was shown on video approaching Merab Dvalishvili and his friend at a hotel in Abu Dhabi as he was being interviewed and slapping him. The argument soon escalated into a brawl between them. 

There has been no official announcement about a permanent ban on fighting or competitions for Nurmagomedov.  He has not said when he will fight again and the legal process could affect his future activities.

On Nov. 12, Abu Dhabi Police said 10 people were arrested for the hotel fight. Eight people were charged with fighting and two others were arrested for filming the fight.

The 10 were then referred to the Public Prosecution to face more charges. RAF also said Usman will not be attending its upcoming event, but the promotion was still hoping for Dvalishvili  to fight. The probe is ongoing so it is unclear about what would be the future of Usman Nurmagomedov.