Number one contender for the Lightweight belt Khabib Nurmagomedov believes the UFC are protecting Conor McGregor. Khabib claims that he was put on the undercard while the UFC promoted the Irishman’s name in the main event of UFC 205 at Madison Square Garden, in a bid to protect McGregor from the Russian.
The Eagle, Nurmagomedov has been the number one contender for the Lightweight division for over two years, one of which was spent nursing an injury while the other and current year is trying to get his much-deserved shot at the belt.
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Khabib believes he was used as leverage for McGregor to gain his second title shot against Eddie Alvarez at UFC 205 but feels he will slap the head of the 'chicken Irishman' if he decides to get it on after his hiatus that lasts until May of next year.
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Speaking in an interview with RT Sport, the Russian claims to have enjoyed the fight card even though he was on the undercard and states he will be the next champion provided he gets the shot, or he will leave the UFC. He said:
"I felt good because [whether] the UFC puts me on the main card or prelims, it doesn't matter. You have to fight. Main card cage closes the same in prelims, same cage closes.
But I think UFC put me in prelims because they don't want to make my name as big because they have to take care of Conor. They don't want to promote my name very good.”
With Dana White claiming the UFC are trying to enter Russia and McGregor out of action until May with the birth of his first child, Nurmagomedov waits in the wings as he hopes for the fight against the two-weight UFC champion Conor McGregor.
Also read: UFC News: Dan Henderson thinks Khabib Nurmagomedov will 'beat the piss' out of Conor McGregor
When quizzed about how the potential fight between the two would go down Nurmagomedov said:
“For UFC's lightweight division my style is very hard. Because I have pressure, I can take you down - body, single leg, double leg. I have very good conditioning. I know this. To stop me with my style my opponent needs to knock me out."
Khabib further went on to talk about Conor McGregor’s style of fighting:
"Conor is a very good striking guy - everybody knows this. He has very good boxing, timing; his counter-punches are very good. But everybody knows I have a top control, wrestling, pressure.
Why I need to stay stand up with him? I'm gonna take him down; I'm gonna slap him, make him nervous, talk with him, and make him give up."
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