👀 Khabib Nurmagomedov believes his cousin Usman is a MORE COMPLETE fighter than Ilia Topuria! 😳 Khabib thinks Usman has the more well-rounded skill set, despite Topuria's incredible success inside the Octagon. With rumors swirling about Usman potentially joining the UFC, this comparison makes things even more interesting. 👀
Khabib Nurmagomedov has reportedly weighed in on a cousin-versus-contender debate, saying Usman Nurmagomedov is a more complete fighter than Ilia Topuria. The comparison comes amid unconfirmed rumours that Usman could be heading to the UFC, and neither the comments nor the move have been officially confirmed.
According to the report, Khabib believes Usman has the more well-rounded skill set, even after acknowledging Topuria's success inside the Octagon.
Khabib, 38, retired with a perfect 29-0 record and finished his career with three straight title-fight submissions: Conor McGregor at UFC 229, Dustin Poirier at UFC 242 and Justin Gaethje at UFC 254 in October 2020. The Russian averaged 5.32 takedowns per 15 minutes, a rate more than two and a half times Topuria's 1.96.
Usman, 27, is unbeaten at 22-0 and ranked 14th in the pound-for-pound standings. He stands five-foot-eleven (180 cm) with a 71-inch reach. His striking numbers are modest by volume, 0.33 significant strikes landed per minute, but he lands at 52.78 percent accuracy.
Topuria, 29, is a Spanish lightweight ranked first in his division and first pound-for-pound, with a 17-1 record. His most recent recorded fight came on June 14, 2026, when he lost by fourth-round KO/TKO to Justin Gaethje in a title bout at UFC Freedom 250. That defeat followed knockout wins over Charles Oliveira at UFC 317 and Max Holloway at UFC 308. He lands 4.81 significant strikes per minute at 48 percent accuracy.
Why it matters
- Khabib's assessment arrives just after Topuria's first recorded loss, which lends the comparison extra weight.
- The numbers show clearly different profiles: Topuria is the far busier striker, while Usman's accuracy edge is four-plus points higher on a much smaller output.
- Usman is two years younger than Topuria and carries a longer unbeaten record, 22 fights against Topuria's 18 recorded bouts.
- Any UFC arrival for Usman would remain unconfirmed until an official announcement.
