“I wanna play spoiler just like I did in Khabib and Tony. I'm going to f**k this up for everybody, and there is going to be no Paddy and Ilia. I'm going to do the same thing I did for that fight, and then i'm going to fight Ilia on the White House card if he's ready to fight again”

– via the UFC 2026 seasonal press conference, stating his intention to "play spoiler" by beating Paddy Pimblett, thereby canceling the highly anticipated Pimblett vs. Topuria fight, and then challenging Ilia Topuria for the undisputed title.

“I wanna play spoiler just like I did in Khabib and Tony. I'm going to f**k this up for everybody, and there is going to be no Paddy and Ilia. I'm going to do the same thing I did for that fight, and then i'm going to fight Ilia on the White House card if he's ready to fight again”

– via the UFC 2026 seasonal press conference, stating his intention to ""play spoiler"" by beating Paddy Pimblett, thereby canceling the highly anticipated Pimblett vs. Topuria fight, and then challenging Ilia Topuria for the undisputed title.

“I don't have any game plan, to be honest... You can make game plans and things like that, but when the fight comes, it can be a whole different game. Whatever he brings, I'll be ready. [I'm going to] knock him out in 3 rounds.”

– via The Ariel Helwani Show, stating he has no specific game plan for Alexandre Pantoja but predicting he will knock him out within three rounds.

“I want to win early by knockout. When you finish the champ early, it leaves absolutely no talk, no speculations. I want to get the belt back and take my revenge. I have everything it takes to beat him.”

– via the UFC 323 Countdown, predicting a knockout victory in his title rematch against Merab Dvalishvili.

“2026 is going to be the biggest year of my life. I'm coming for that interim title, then I'll be making it undisputed title when I come and beat Ilia Topuria up. Then little posh boy [Arman]... I'll punch his head in as well”

– via the UFC, outlining his plans for 2026 to win both the interim and undisputed lightweight titles, and then fight Arman Tsarukyan.

“2026 is going to be the biggest year of my life. I'm coming for that interim title, then I'll be making it undisputed title when I come and beat Ilia Topuria up. Then little posh boy [Arman]... I'll punch his head in as well”

– via the UFC, outlining his plans for 2026 to win both the interim and undisputed lightweight titles, and then fight Arman Tsarukyan.

“I'll make him tired, I'll throw my axe kick and knock him out”

– via Daniel Cormier's YouTube Channel, predicting a knockout victory over Ilia Topuria.

“I’m pretty sure we’re both white, so I don’t know what the point of the white boy is. I definitely survive a minute [against Chimaev]. I have no plans going up to middleweight anytime soon, but if he wants to, then dude, I’m getting [him]”

– reacts to Chimaev's warning

“If you think that's fiery, wait until tomorrow night. Tomorrow night I take his head out”

– via FOX SPORTS AUSTRALIA, sending a final warning to Islam Makhachev ahead of their fight.

“Let's go ! I can submit you both same night... Easy money”

– via Instagram, responding to Alex Pereira's challenge

“Josh Hokit, I want you next. I'm gonna kick your head like a soccer ball and force you to respect Brazil and our culture, you piece of sh*t”

– response to Josh Hokit callout via X

“I will show you guys who the best fighter in the world is. For my legacy, the second belt is important”

– on pursuing a second belt and the P4P spot, via UFC.

“I'm gonna break Islam Makhachev, take his pound”

– for-pound spot, and it's gonna be a great moment for my career and legacy - via UFC, on his ambitions against Islam Makhachev.

“Khabib Nurmagomedov has not done enough. I've told this to Khabib... I remember we had a really heated conversation between us because I don't put Khabib in front of me”

– via POUND 4 POUND PODCAST, saying that he is ahead of Khabib in the GOAT conversation.

“On points, it was his rounds. But the game was in my hands. Maybe he threw more punches; he caught me a little bit. I just tried to find the best way to take over... I knew everything I was doing in the last round. I saw Khalil getting, step by step, worse and worse.”

– reflects on his UFC 320 victory against Khalil Rountree Jr. via Pound 4 Pound podcast.

“I don't have a logical reason for it, but I just been thinking more about it. He's bigger, he's fast. It's not like he's a slow fighter. He's young. There's not a whole lot like in his game. [Jack Della Maddalena] showed a whole different game. I've seen his old fights. If I watched just his old fights and not watch his most recent fight with Belal, I would definitely be like, 'Okay, Makhachev has this fight.' But after watching him fight with Belal, I think his chances of winning are a lot better”

– gives his prediction for UFC 322

“So, our whole lives went side by side in the hall, helping each other to become better and stronger. Soon we will follow the historic second belt, and in the meantime, the work continues. 33 days before the historical fight in Madison Square Garden. See you guys in New York. @islam_makhachev ready to go”