Reigning UFC Lightweight Champion Islam Makhachev and former UFC Lightweight Champion Khabib Nurmagomedov have long been friends and training partners. They’ve extensively trained together in their native Dagestan as well as at the AKA (American Kickboxing Academy) gym in San Jose, Calif., U.S.A.
Makhachev has now seemingly taken a lighthearted jab at the retired Nurmagomedov over the air travel debacle “The Eagle” was involved in earlier this year.
Islam Makhachev Throws Hilarious Shade at Khabib Nurmagomedov Over Seating Arrangement on Flight
Back in January 2025, the MMA community was set abuzz by reports that Khabib Nurmagomedov had been removed from an airplane due to his alleged refusal to comply with the instructions of the plane’s staff. Footage of the Dagestani MMA legend getting into a verbal dispute with some of the staff members emerged on various social media platforms.
Nurmagomedov later put forth an Instagram post, asserting that he’d been removed from a Frontier Airlines flight. “The Eagle” even accused a female staff member of being rude to him and questioned whether his removal from the plane was indicative of some form of discrimination.
Frontier Airlines affirmed that the removal was due to his refusal to change seats after the staff deemed his demeanor unresponsive when asked if he could handle the duties that come with being seated next to the emergency exit. They noted that Nurmagomedov was, therefore, removed from the emergency exit-adjacent seat and asked to leave the plane.
Well, Islam Makhachev has now shared an Instagram Stories post, featuring an image of himself and a few others seemingly seated in a flight’s emergency exit row. The written statements in the post read, “We flew to Dagestan like this … and no one kicked us off the plane.”
Makhachev’s Potential Next Fight, Rumored Welterweight Move
Over the past several months, former UFC Featherweight Champion Ilia Topuria has been lobbying for a shot at UFC Lightweight Champion Makhachev’s title. Similarly, Makhachev has consistently hinted that he’d like to compete for the UFC welterweight belt that’s currently held by Belal Muhammad.
Presently, Muhammad is scheduled to defend his title against Jack Della Maddalena at UFC 315 on May 10, 2025. During the UFC 315 pre-fight press conference earlier this week, UFC CEO Dana White was asked about Topuria’s recent assertion that the winner of the Muhammad vs. Della Maddalena matchup would determine whether he fights Makhachev for the latter’s lightweight title or Oliveira for the vacant lightweight title in June.
White responded by suggesting that Topuria’s assessment was fairly accurate. For context, Makhachev and Muhammad have been training partners in recent years, and Muhammad and time and again emphasized that he wouldn’t fight the Dagestani MMA star. Hence, the belief is that if Muhammad loses his welterweight title, Makhachev likely move up to fight Della Maddalena for the title.
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