Makhachev accepts Burroughs' callout but insists it must be inside the cage

UFC welterweight champion Islam Makhachev has accepted Jordan Burroughs’ public callout, but made clear the only stage he is interested in is an MMA cage — not a wrestling mat.

Burroughs issued the challenge after dismantling Magomed Kurbanaliev in under 90 seconds at RAF Moscow, winning by a 10-0 technical fall. Speaking in his post-fight interview, the Olympic gold medalist made his intentions plain.

“Islam, where are you? Hey, I came to your country, to your capital city, and tech-fall’d one of your champions. I will be back to Russia very soon and the only person I want to share the stage with is Islam.”

Makhachev responded on social media, congratulating Burroughs while leaving little ambiguity about the format he had in mind. “Congrats on your win legend,” the Dagestani champion wrote. “In the cage, anywhere anytime.”

The exchange sets up an intriguing cross-discipline rivalry. Burroughs, one of the most decorated American wrestlers of his generation, was calling for a wrestling match on Russian soil — the kind of symbolic challenge that carries obvious weight in Dagestan’s combat sports culture. Makhachev’s counter redirected that challenge toward MMA, the discipline in which he currently holds one of the sport’s most prestigious titles.

Notably, Makhachev has not competed in any wrestling or submission grappling events during his UFC career, even as several of his contemporaries — including Khamzat Chimaev, Arman Tsarukyan, and Sean Brady — have taken part in RAF competitions. Whether Burroughs’ callout accelerates any change in that approach, or whether the two ever actually share a stage in any format, remains to be seen.