UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev has revealed that his mother has long hoped he would step away from mixed martial arts, admitting that conversations about retirement have been taking place for years.
The Russian star explained that the topic first surfaced well before his rise to UFC championship status. After capturing one of the biggest titles of his combat sambo career, his mother reportedly felt he had already achieved everything an athlete could aspire to and saw little reason for him to continue competing.
According to Makhachev, the discussion has remained a constant presence in family conversations ever since. More recently, his mother has drawn comparisons with Khabib Nurmagomedov, who famously retired from the sport after fulfilling a promise to his family.
Makhachev also shared that his mother recently expressed an interest in meeting Nurmagomedov face-to-face. When he asked what she wanted to discuss, she offered few details, simply insisting that the conversation needed to happen.
Although no meeting has been arranged so far, Makhachev made it clear that his mother's opinion carries significant weight. The reigning champion acknowledged that if she were to firmly insist on his retirement, he would give serious consideration to her wishes.
