UFC star scolds Khabib Nurmagomedov, Islam Makhachev for silence on UFC’s fighter pay debate

According to one UFC star, Khabib Nurmagomedov and Islam Makhachev aren’t doing enough to advocate for their fighting colleagues.

UFC Hall of Famer Khabib Nurmagomedov continues to make an impact after his fighting career, including his development of some of the top talents in Mixed Martial Arts. Nurmagomedov’s top protege, Islam Makhachev, recently won the UFC welterweight championship to accomplish a feat that Nurmagomedov couldn’t during his run to the UFC Hall of Fame.

Makhachev is inarguably one of the UFC’s biggest stars and is expected to appear in several more marquee fights before he hangs up the gloves. While Makhachev is beloved by fans, his reluctance to speak against some of the UFC’s questionable business practices has ruffled the feathers of several fighters.

UFC fighter pay continues to be a hot-button issue, especially after Ronda Rousey’s fiery rant during a recent press conference about her former employers. One UFC star believes Nurmagomedov and Makhachev should step up and add to the ongoing debate surrounding how fighters are compensated.

Colby Covington: Khabib Nurmagomedov, Islam Makhachev should ‘speak out’ on UFC fighter pay

In a recent live stream appearance with influencer N3on, former UFC title challenger Colby Covington blasted Nurmagomedov and Makhachev for not advocating for better fighter pay.

“The thing is that those guys who make the biggest influence, have the biggest platforms, like Ilia, like Makhachev, like Khabib, those guys are getting paid well, they are never going to speak out against the UFC,” Covington said of Nurmagomedov and Makhachev.

“They do get paid well. Those guys are making $5 million a fight.” (h/t Bloody Elbow)

Despite his silence on UFC fighter pay, Nurmagomedov has been critical of some of the UFC matchmakers’ decisions when it comes to the promotion’s roster. The UFC recently released several high-profile names, including Rina Fakhretdinov, as the promotion looks to add more fan-friendly styles inside the Octagon.

What’s your stance on UFC fighter pay? Let us know in the comments!