Former UFC champion Khabib Nurmagomedov thinks Justin Gaethje needs to take a step back after demanding the next shot at the UFC lightweight title.
Gaethje fought for the first time in over a year last weekend, outpointing Michael Chandler at UFC 268 in a Fight of the Year contender.
It was Gaethje's first win since being submitted by Nurmagomedov in their fight last October, with Nurmagomedov making his last title defence as he retired after the fight.
He staked his claim for the next title shot after current champion Charles Oliviera fights Dustin Poirier at UFC 269 next month.
"I have to fight the winner of Charles Oliveira and Dustin Poirier to justify the integrity of this sport, and I'm comfortable with that. I don't need to do anything else," he said.
Gaethje is currently ranked at No.2 in the lightweight rankings, with only Poirier being ranked above him.
But Nurmagomedov has since responded to Gaethje's take in a brutal putdown of the former interim champion.
“In last 8 fight, you got finished 3 times Justin. You had an opportunity to become champion, but you fell asleep,” Nurmagomedov wrote on Instagram.
The Russian is referring to his own win against Gaethje and the American's back-to-back stoppage losses against Eddie Alvarez and Dustin Poirier several years ago.
Nurmagomedov continued by stating his protege and teammate Islam Makhachev should get the next shot.
“Islam [Makhachev] is on the 9 win streak, 3 fight in 2021 and all finishes. Just shut up and admit that Islam deserves this title shot, not you.”
The talented grappler has already picked up three wins in 2021 - all by submission - with the most recent coming against Dan Hooker at UFC 267 last month.
Makhachev is ranked at No.4 in the lightweight rankings.
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Nurmagomedov has also continued his war of words with struggling lightweight Tony Ferguson.
Once an interim champion at 155-pounds, Ferguson is on a three-fight losing streak and looks a shell of his former self.
And Nurmagomedov didn't pass up the chance to let Ferguson know that.
"For the last three years Tony Ferguson you never won a single round in the UFC. Some of the rounds you lost 10:8," he wrote.
"Since 2015 you won only one fighter from top 15. Tony, it’s a clear picture here, I’m not gonna go low and personal, not gonna insult you. It’s just a facts."
Nurmagomedov and Ferguson were booked to fight five times in the UFC, but injuries to both men meant the fight never happened.
Their last booking was at UFC 249 in April 2020, but Covid-19 restrictions meant Nurmagomedov was unable to leave his native Russia.
