What’s the story?
Khabib Nurmagomedov has been the most dominant 155-pound fighter in the sport of mixed martial arts for quite some time now, as he has compiled an impressive record of 24 wins and no losses.
Now that he is the No. 1 ranked Lightweight in the UFC, he could be all set to challenge number 2 ranked Tony ‘El Cucuy’ Ferguson for the Interim Lightweight title while current division champ Conor McGregor takes some time off.
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After that bout, however, the Russian wants to headline a card in his home country of Russia and wants ‘The Notorious One’ to be his opponent.
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Nurmagomedov’s UFC resume includes wins over former Lightweight Champion Rafael dos Anjos, in which he completely dominated the now-former champion for the three-round affair, and Michael Johnson after a dominant showing at UFC 205 via kimura submission.
The Russian’s dominant grappling technique has been the downfall of all who have stepped into the Octagon with him, and the same could likely be coming for Ferguson.
The heart of the matter
Here’s what Khabib had to say about wanting to headline a Russian card with McGregor (courtesy of MMA Mania):
"I want to beat Tony Ferguson, take interim bullshit belt, and after fight with Conor for the real belt. I am famous in Russia and, we have to say, Conor is famous in Russia, too. If UFC make a promotional tour all over the world, like Rio de Janeiro, Las Vegas, New York, Toronto, London, Moscow, Tokyo, everywhere, you know, make this PR program. And, after this, UFC give me and Conor three months for preparing and make this 80,000 arena in Moscow – I think 100 percent we can sell all these tickets."
What’s next?
A bout between Ferguson and Nurmagomedov is obviously the next plan for the UFC, as its no secret that they have been trying to get that contest booked, however, injuries to both men have kept that fight from happening these past few months.
The winner of the contest will likely be crowned the Interim Lightweight Champion and will have a date with Conor McGregor upon his return.
Sportskeeda’s take:
The UFC needs to make the fight between Nurmagomedov and Ferguson happen so we can finally see who the best contender at 155 pounds is, as both have made quite the case for themselves.
If Nurmagomedov is able to get past Ferguson and move on to a massive headliner with McGregor in Russia in a Champion vs. Champion bout, it would be one of the biggest UFC events of all time.
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