“I think they're all trying to be like Conor McGregor but no one comes close to him”

– via Ushatayka, discussing the "McGregor Blueprint" and its influence on current stars

“It's not just about studying a language. When our coach was still alive, we used to have an english teacher who came 3—4 times a week. Our coach knew that in order to achieve something nowadays, you have to be good at promoting yourself. That's why everybody was learning english. But now the guys are too lazy”

– via Red Corner MMA, reflecting on the importance of learning English, stating that his late coach, Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov, pushed the team to learn it because he understood that modern fighters need strong self promotion skills to succeed.

“Merab, you are one of the greatest to ever step into this cage. Congratulations. Petya you deserve it #UFC323”

– reached to Ufc 323 bout against Petr Yan

“I still think Kamaru can beat Morales and Prates both... Kamaru is still dangerous and one of the best in this game. If you give me the choice and ask me who you want to fight, I will say Kamaru”

– via the UFC's 'About Last Fight' show, explaining why he views former champion Kamaru Usman as a greater challenge than rising contenders Michael Morales and Carlos Prates, and stating Usman is his preferred next opponent.

“Jack is still young, he's 28. Some people just begin fighting at the top level at 28. I know he's gonna come back, he's gonna improve his wrestling, and he has one of the best striking. He's gonna come back soon, and he's gonna be one of the best in this game”

– backing Jack Della Maddalena's future after their fight at UFC 322.

“It’s not working like this. When you bring someone for one camp or for two camps... I just give you a good example. I tell that yesterday... What about Khamzat fighting with DDP? [He] bring many coaches, many, many partners, but it didn’t help. It’s not working like this... I don’t think he even watch the wrestling match in the TV, you know?”

– mocks Dricus's wrestling skill via Daniel Cormier Youtube Channel

“I'll change the pound for pound rankings. Back to No.1, but this week, we will change...Myself, this guy [Alexandre] Pantoja, and [Tom] Aspinall, [Alexander] Volkanovski for sure, and [Ilia] Topuria”

– Islam Makhachev shares his top 5 pound for pound ranking via Adin Ross live stream

“I'll change the pound for pound rankings. Back to No.1, but this week, we will change...Myself, this guy [Alexandre] Pantoja, and [Tom] Aspinall, [Alexander] Volkanovski for sure, and [Ilia] Topuria”

– Islam Makhachev shares his top 5 pound for pound ranking via Adin Ross live stream

“I'll change the pound for pound rankings. Back to No.1, but this week, we will change...Myself, this guy [Alexandre] Pantoja, and [Tom] Aspinall, [Alexander] Volkanovski for sure, and [Ilia] Topuria”

– Islam Makhachev shares his top 5 pound for pound ranking via Adin Ross live stream

“I'll change the pound for pound rankings. Back to No.1, but this week, we will change...Myself, this guy [Alexandre] Pantoja, and [Tom] Aspinall, [Alexander] Volkanovski for sure, and [Ilia] Topuria”

– Islam Makhachev shares his top 5 pound for pound ranking via Adin Ross live stream

“Khabib is like my older brother. If he told me, for example, ‘Hey, you have to stop tomorrow, no more fighting’, I would listen to him... He’s the guy in our gym who takes care of us, who controls us and always wishes us the best, he knows how to make the champions, not just in the gym, in my life, he did everything for me”

– via WEIGHING IN podcast, revealing he would retire instantly if advised to do so by his mentor, Khabib Nurmagomedov

“What can you scare Volkanovski with? I don't think anyone can scare him”

– asked if his rivals fear him, replied via Match TV

“Now I don't know who's gonna be next for Ilia. Maybe Arman, maybe Gaethje, but not Paddy, for sure. Paddy beat who? Tony Ferguson? Who else he beat? [Michael] Chandler? Everybody beat Chandler. He can do some things, but I don’t see a big chance. I don’t know, maybe, honestly it’s not a big challenge for Topuria. Arman is a really big deal. If he beats Arman, because Arman has good skills striking, wrestling, grappling, he’s a good fighter. Paddy, nobody checked Paddy before”

– laughs at Paddy Pimblett getting title shot against Ilia Topuria

“This is a stupid question. He’s my brother...If he didn’t want me to beat his record, he would never help me. He’s been away from his family for two months. It’s his dream to make new champions in our gym. 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.”

– dismissing comparison to Khabib via ESPN MMA

“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. Even now, new champions in other organizations are training under his students. It has become a very big school. The only thing I miss is that he’s not in the cage with us when we win the belt. I think he’s proud of us”

– dismissing comparison to Khabib via ESPN MMA

“I watched all of his fights. He's good. Striking is good. His boxing is very good and his wrestling not so good, but he [is] good in the ground. He knows how to defend, how to escape, [and] how to get up... I saw his defence, you know, lot of guys take him down. All his opponents in the UFC take him down, but he feels good on the ground. When somebody takes him down, he [doesn't] panic, [doesn't make] mistakes.”

– praises JDM's ground game ahead of UFC 322 via Home of Fight

“Win or lose, Ruffy has zero grappling”