“You Sound Like a Clown”: Malki Kawa Blasts Ali Abdelaziz Over Ilia Topuria Criticisms
There is a manager war brewing between Ilia Topuria's manager and Islam Makhachev's manager as they go back and forth on social media
The MMA managerial scene is often as wild as the fights inside the Octagon, and the latest war of words proves that the beef doesn't stop when the cage door closes. Dominance MMA Management CEO Ali Abdelaziz kicked off the drama by targeting former UFC Featherweight Champion Ilia Topuria while hyping up his star client, Usman Nurmagomedov.
Abdelaziz recently appeared on the Pound for Pound podcast to discuss Nurmagomedov's future after the undefeated 22-0 fighter finished his Professional Fighters League contract with a first-round stoppage of Archie Colgan on July 31.
The manager made bold claims about how the lightweight standout would roll through UFC contenders like Max Holloway, Paddy Pimblett, and Charles Oliveira. Abdelaziz even took a swipe at Topuria, asserting that Nurmagomedov would make "El Matador" quit if they met inside the cage. He also claimed the only competitive fight for Nurmagomedov would be against top lightweight contender Arman Tsarukyan.
Those comments did not sit well with Topuria’s manager, Malki Kawa of First Round Management. Kawa took straight to his Instagram story to unleash a scathing response aimed directly at Abdelaziz.
Malki Kawa Fires Back at Dominance MMA
Kawa held nothing back, firing off a fiery defense of his marquee fighter while shredding Abdelaziz’s entire management roster.
"Ilia would annihilate 100% of your roster, including if he fought Justin Gaethje again, he would beat the shit out of him," Kawa posted. Addressing names like Pimblett, current lightweight champion Islam Makhachev, Nurmagomedov, and Gaethje, Kawa added that none of it mattered. "Shut the f**k up, stop hyping your guys, you sound like a f*king clown."
Addressing Topuria’s recent performances, Kawa added a simple defense: "Ilia had a bad night, that's it."
The bad blood between these two management powerhouses isn't entirely new. Abdelaziz manages some of the biggest names under the Zuffa banner, including former interim champion Justin Gaethje and dominant UFC Welterweight champion Islam Makhachev.
Topuria remains one of the most explosive stars in MMA today, known for his dangerous boxing and dynamic wrestling. While Nurmagomedov has not officially signed with the UFC yet, the verbal sparring between Abdelaziz and Kawa shows that fight fans might be in for even more drama outside the cage than inside it.
