Khabib reveals talks with UFC boss White after Makhachev pummels opponent (VIDEO)

MMA legend Khabib Nurmagomedov secured his latest win as a trainer by guiding potential lightweight title successor Islam Makhachev to a first-round TKO of Bobby Green – then revealed he has held talks with UFC president Dana White about the Russian fighting Justin Gaethje or Charles Oliveira for the title this year.

Makhachev extended his winning streak to ten fights against an opponent who had called him "boring" in the build-up, although there were no hard feelings as Nurmagomedov entered the octagon afterwards to join his formidable contender in embracing Green.

Gaethje, who Nurmagomedov beat in his final fight in October 2020, faces lightweight champion Oliveira at UFC 274 on May 7, and his former nemesis has told UFC president Dana White that Makhachev should receive the title shot he has long called for against the winner.

"A couple of days ago when we met with Dana, we were talking about what is next," Nurmagomedov told ESPN, describing how he had told White that Makhachev and Green were "not the same level".

"He said 'I'm really focused on Islam fighting Oliveira and Justin Gaethje, end of this year.' Dana said they're going to make a very big show in Abu Dhabi at the end of this year.

"I really want Charles and Islam to fight. But Justin Gaethje has so much experience and he has a big heart.

"If you want to beat him, you have to finish him. Justin Gaethje is going to win his fight if Charles doesn't finish him.

"I don't want to disrespect Bobby Green – he is a great guy, very funny and fun to watch. I've watched a lot of his fights but there are levels, always, like I say to my guys.

"There are fighters, champions, elite. Bobby Green is a fighter but Islam is elite, this is what I feel when I've trained with him for a long time.

"Twenty years, we've spent together. Who has a better win streak in the UFC today? Him and Charles Oliveira have a ten-win streak, and Kamaru Usman, the pound-for-pound king [15-fight streak]. He has to fight for the title next."

Oliveira will beat Gaethje, according to Makhachev. "It's going to be a big fight because both guys are high-level," he predicted.

"Charles has improved his striking game very well and he has more than Justin in the ground game. They're going to strike a bit and Charles is going to take his back, take him down and beat him, third or second round. That's my opinion.

"It's going to be a good match because this guy is good at striking, wrestling and grappling but I'm going to make him tired, pressure him and make him give up, because I know this guy doesn't like it when someone goes with him for three or four rounds with hard punches and a hard time.

"When he cannot finish someone, he gives up all the time. I have better grappling skills than him with high-level grapplers. I like grappling. This guy is going to try to finish me on the ground."

Green had fought two weeks earlier and agreed to face Makhachev at ten days' notice after the 30-year-old's original opponent, Beneil Dariush, broke a leg in training.

"I wish [referee] Herb [Dean] would have given me more time," he said on Instagram afterwards, apologizing to his supporters. "I asked him to let me fight."

Nurmagomedov said Green had joked with him about his frame in the ring afterwards, asking whether the retiree would still make lightweight.

"Of course I am big because for almost two years I have been finished with fights," conceded Nurmagomedov after continuing his impressive record as a mentor to fighters. "But every day I train, I try to spend time in the gym. 

"I was a little bit nervous because this is a fight, anything can happen. We were talking with [coach] Jav [Mendez] before the fight and I said 'I am still nervous but I feel better.'

"He said 'in a couple of years, you're going to become better than now.' This is all about experience."