"Now we have to fix it" - Islam Makhachev hilariously opens up about Khabib Nurmagomedov naming village street after him

Islam Makhachev recently opened up about Khabib Nurmagomedov naming a street after him and hilariously explained how the locals now ask him to get the road fixed.

Makhachev is set to challenge Jack Della Maddalena for the welterweight championship at UFC 322 this weekend. Nurmagomedov's protege vacated the lightweight title after his last win over Renato Moicano at UFC 311 in January and confirmed his move up to the 170-pound division after Della Maddalena beat Belal Muhammad to become the new welterweight king at UFC 315 in May.

Ahead of his upcoming title fight, Makhachev was asked about Nurmagomedov naming streets after members of their team. He replied:

"Khabib put my name on some street in his village, but it’s a small street. I’ll give him back, I’ll put in my village's biggest street, Khabib’s name... Khabib is a very smart guy... Now we have to fix it, you know. People from the village tell me, 'Islam, if you don’t fix our street, we’re gonna change this name.'"

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Islam Makhachev gets honest about Khabib Nurmagomedov rivalry talks

Islam Makhachev recently rubbished the notion of a rivalry with Khabib Nurmagomedov and made it clear that they both worked toward cementing legendary coach Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov's legacy.

Nurmagomedov is widely considered among the greatest MMA fighters ever and the greatest lightweight champion ever to grace the UFC octagon. After retirement, he transitioned to a coaching role and is credited with helping Makhachev win the UFC lightweight title.

Given that Makhachev could become a two-division champion this weekend, many have wondered whether he could surpass Nurmagomedov's legacy in the UFC. In a recent interview with ESPN MMA, Makhachev dismissed the idea of there being a rivalry or competition between him and Nurmagomedov and said:

"This is a stupid question. He’s my brother... If he didn’t want me to beat his record, he would never help me... One day, he told me he does all this because if one guy becomes a champion, it changes the lives of many people around him. He told me, ‘It’s my dream to help people, and when I help someone, I can help his family, friends, and everyone around him.’ That’s why I don’t like to answer questions about beating Khabib’s record and all that."

He continued:

"It’s not a question I want to answer, like I beat Khabib’s record or something like this. It’s all about Abdulmanap’s legacy, our coach who is not with us right now. After ten or fifteen years, people will understand what he did for our country, for MMA, for sports."

Edited by Nishant Zende.