Tag: Khabib Nurmagomedov

Khabib Nurmagomedov calls Conor McGregor vs. Justin Gaethje a ’50/50′ fight

It’s too close to call for the UFC lightweight champ.

LAS VEGAS – [autotag]Khabib Nurmagomedov[/autotag] thinks a potential [autotag]Conor McGregor[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Justin Gaethje matchup[/autotag] fight will be super competitive.

Nurmagomedov (28-0 MMA, 12-0 UFC), the reigning UFC lightweight champion who is set to defend against Tony Ferguson at UFC 249 on April 18, currently has a firm grip over arguably the sport’s deepest weight class.

He always needs a next contender, though, and if rumors of a potential McGregor (22-4 MMA, 10-2 UFC) vs. Gaethje (21-2 MMA, 4-2 UFC) fight this summer come to fruition, that would almost certainly produce his next foe. Who wins, though? Nurmagomedov is torn.

“Justin Gaethje and Conor, it’s a hard question,” Nurmagomedov told MMA Junkie at a recent Dominance MMA media day event. “My opinion, I want Justin Gaethje, but I think (it’s) 50/50. I think you guys think (it’s) 50/50, too. Because it’s going to be stand-up fight, Justin is good, Conor is good on the standup, and I think it’s going to be 50/50.”

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Nurmagomedov’s reason for wanting Gaethje to beat McGregor is likely threefold. The pair share the same management team, Nurmagomedov has already beaten McGregor, and he doesn’t like “The Notorious.”

If Gaethje was to win, he would also produce a fresh challenge for Nurmagomedov’s belt, assuming he’s still the champion. Gaethje has said many times he thinks he’s a horrible style matchup for “The Eagle,” and while Nurmagomedov is confident against anyone, he sees it as a tough fight, too.

“Justin Gaethje is one of the best lightweights in the world, of course,” Nurmagomedov said. “Anyone in the top of the lightweight division is going to be hard. You have to believe this. You have to believe you can become champion one day. If not, why do you train? I respect his mind, I respect how he thinks, and I respect he want to show his skill, and he want to challenge himself. You have to.”

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Spinning Back Clique: Agree with Dana White? Was UFC 248 main event letdown Yoel Romero’s fault?

So much to discuss coming out of UFC 248, and this week Eric Nicksick of Xtreme Couture joins the show to unpack it all.

Welcome to “Spinning Back Clique,” MMA Junkie’s weekly show that takes a spin through the biggest topics in mixed martial arts. In this week’s episode, “Gorgeous” George and “Goze” are joined by guest Eric Nicksick of Xtreme Couture to unpack the fallout from an eventful – and uneventful – UFC 248 and more.

SHOW RUNDOWN:

  • The UFC 248 headliner between middleweight champion [autotag]Israel Adesanya[/autotag] and [autotag]Yoel Romero[/autotag] was anything but the war we all expected, with Adesanya winning a bizarre snooze-fest by unanimous decision to retain his title. Afterward, UFC president Dana White placed all of the blame on Romero, who, at 42, received this title shot despite a two-fight losing streak. The way White sees it, it was on him to go all out and win the title. Do we agree?
  • On the complete opposite spectrum of the UFC 248 headliner was the co-main event, an instant classic that saw strawweight champion [autotag]Zhang Weili[/autotag] retain her title by winning a split decision against [autotag]Joanna Jedrzejczyk[/autotag]. What did we learn about both women after such an incredible and brutal title fight?
  • With UFC 248 out of the way, UFC 249 is the next pay-per-view, and you know what that means: [autotag]Khabib Nurmagomedov[/autotag] and [autotag]Tony Ferguson[/autotag] finally will attempt to meet inside the octagon after four failed bookings. Before they do, though, they came face to face at the first UFC 249 news conference in Las Vegas, and it was quite the intense experience. We share our takeaways.
  • [autotag]Sean O’Malley[/autotag] and [autotag]Neil Magny[/autotag] returned to the octagon at UFC 248 after dealing with lengthy ordeals involving the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency, which ultimately resulted in their exoneration. And both men looked good in claiming victories. What do we think is next as they try to get their career back on track?
  • In a story from out of left field, UFC featherweight [autotag]Brian Ortega[/autotag] allegedly attacked Jay Park, rapper and friend of “The Korean Zombie” [autotag]Chan Sung Jung[/autotag], while sitting cageside at UFC 248. The incident, which was caught on video, is so unlike anything we’d expect from Ortega given the character he’s shown through the years. We react to what transpired.

For answers to all of those questions, watch Episode 19 of “Spinning Back Clique” above.

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Khabib Nurmagomedov explains why he prefers not to fight during Ramadan

UFC lightweight champ Khabib Nurmagomedov explains why he’d rather not compete during the month he observes Ramadan each year.

LAS VEGAS – [autotag]Khabib Nurmagomedov[/autotag] has specifically made it a case to never compete during the month of Ramadan.

Nurmagomedov (28-0 MMA, 12-0 UFC) will make his third lightweight title defense when he takes on Tony Ferguson at UFC 249 on April 18, just one week before Ramadan begins.

Ramadan is a holy month for Muslims and consists of 30 days of fasting without food or water from sunrise to sunset. That makes training conditions more difficult for fighters who observe it each year.

Nurmagomedov, who was plagued with injuries early in his career, said he’d rather not risk beating his body up in a state of weakness and dehydration.

“Ramadan, I take like a little bit off training – but I’m still (MMA) training, too,” Nurmagomedov said at Dominance MMA’s media day this past Saturday in Las Vegas. “I spend this time with family, parents, go to the mosque, pray, and day (to) night fasting. And, of course, we’re training, too.

“It’s very hard and very dangerous, too. All day, you don’t drink and you don’t eat. Injuries can come. That’s why we (don’t have) too much contact, and without sparring. It’s still hard.”

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Nurmagomedov often has targeted fall for his second fight of the year, a few months after Ramadan is over.

“After Ramadan, we need minimum 45 days to recover – athletes, not (non-athletes) because we compete at a high level, and that’s why we have to watch everything” Nurmagomedov said. “After Ramadan, 40, 45 days we need recovery because times change, a lot of things like food, how you eat, when you eat. A lot of things change. We need one and a half months for recovery.”

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Khabib Nurmagomedov won’t speculate on Tony Ferguson’s mental health before UFC 249

Khabib Nurmagomedov is too focused on fighting Tony Ferguson to worry about any potential personal problems.

LAS VEGAS – [autotag]Khabib Nurmagomedov[/autotag] won’t get sucked into the narrative about [autotag]Tony Ferguson[/autotag]’s state of mind as time winds down to one of the biggest fights in UFC history.

Nurmagomedov (28-0 MMA, 12-0 UFC), the UFC lightweight champion, was just a few feet from Ferguson (25-3 MMA, 15-1 UFC) on Friday as they participated in a news conference to promote UFC 249, which takes place April 18 and sees the pair clash for the title in the pay-per-view main event.

Although Ferguson is unique when it comes to everything from his personality to his preparation to his in-cage fighting style, some of his behaviors of late have been unusual even by his standards, especially the March 2019 reports of his family expressing concern for his well being. Ferguson shut down a question about his mental health at the news conference, and Nurmagomedov on Saturday was asked for his perspective.

Nurmagomedov didn’t want to delve into Ferguson’s personal life, especially because he is preparing to try to “smash” his challenger in a matter of weeks.

“Nothing personal here, I don’t want to talk about his problems – family stuff, mental stuff. This is his problem,” Nurmagomedov told reporters, including MMA Junkie, at Dominance MMA media day. “I don’t want to talk about his problems. Everybody has problems. Nobody is safe. If he need help we have to help him, but we’re going to fight next month. I don’t want to think about my opponent and talk about his mental health.”

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The press conference between Nurmagomedov and Ferguson got quite heated. Both fighters went after each other in a personal way, and there was no shortage of tension.

Nurmagomedov and Ferguson have quite the history, with UFC 249 representing the fifth time they’ve been scheduled to fight each other. Both men have pulled out of two matchups each, but Nurmagomedov said he’s holding out hope the bout finally happens.

The news conference was perhaps the most intense encounter between the rivals, but Nurmagomedov said he viewed it all as good fun. He’s anticipating the fight as much as anyone and hopes to deliver the treat the fight world is waiting for.

“I think it was fun because Tony’s funny guy,” Nurmagomedov said. “Next month, fighting, we hope we will be fighting, and this is very interesting fight. Dream fight for fans, for you as media, for fighters everywhere. Like fan, I love this fight with Tony.”

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Khabib Nurmagomedov talks to media about UFC 249 and much more

Khabib Nurmagomedov talks to media at the Dominance MMA media day which took place in Las Vegas. Nurmagomedov talks about UFC 249 and much more

Khabib Nurmagomedov talks to media at the Dominance MMA media day which took place in Las Vegas. Nurmagomedov talks about UFC 249 and much more

‘Triple C’ vs. Kayla and Khabib: Who won this passionate debate about wrestling and judo?

Henry Cejudo found himself on the wrong end of Khabib Nurmagomedov and Kayla Harrison’s scorn in a wrestling vs. judo debate.

LAS VEGAS – [autotag]Henry Cejudo[/autotag] found himself on the wrong end of [autotag]Khabib Nurmagomedov[/autotag] and [autotag]Kayla Harrison[/autotag]’s on Saturday at Dominance MMA media day, and somehow I was right in the middle of it.

As I attempted to kick off an interview with Cejudo, the current UFC bantamweight champion, reigning PFL women’s lightweight champ Harrison interjected. Like Cejudo, Harrison won Olympic gold before moving to MMA (and did so twice), but her sport was judo, while Cejudo’s was wrestling.

Harrison argued that judo is the superior sport, and the tone of the conversation turned passionate. Harrison wanted a third opinion, though, and that’s when she brought UFC lightweight champ Nurmagomedov into the mix for a third opinion. Nurmagomedov sided with Harrison, vouching for judo as the higher level sport.

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Cejudo tried to fire back, but Harrison felt she’d already won the debate and accused Cejudo of “shaking in his cringe little boots.”

All in all, it was quite a hilarious moment between three fighters who are the best in the world in their respective weight classes.

Watch the video above and enjoy the exchange, as well as my discussion with Cejudo once the whole scene died down a little. He was in absolute peak form (especially to close things out).

The Blue Corner is MMA Junkie’s blog space. We don’t take it overly serious, and neither should you. If you come complaining to us that something you read here is not hard-hitting news, expect to have the previous sentence repeated in ALL CAPS.

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Henry Cejudo interview with MMA Junkie is interrupted by fellow champs

During an interview with MMA Junkie, Henry Cejudo was interrupted by fellow champ Kayla Harrison ho ran away with the interview. There even was a surprise cameo by UFC lightweight champ Khabib Nurmagomedov.

During an interview with MMA Junkie, Henry Cejudo was interrupted by fellow champ Kayla Harrison ho ran away with the interview. There even was a surprise cameo by UFC lightweight champ Khabib Nurmagomedov.

Khabib Nurmagomedov: Tony Ferguson stands in way of becoming greatest lightweight

Khabib Nurmagomedov does not like Tony Ferguson, but the UFC lightweight champ understands what “El Cucuy” and UFC 249 mean to his legacy.

LAS VEGAS – [autotag]Khabib Nurmagomedov[/autotag] does not like [autotag]Tony Ferguson[/autotag], but the UFC lightweight champ understands what “El Cucuy” means to his legacy.

“I like challenges,” Nurmagomedov told MMA Junkie at a Friday news conference in Las Vegas. “If you watch, like, when I fought Conor (McGregor), when I fought Dustin Poirier, when I fought all my fights – this guy is one of the best in the world. When I watch my legacy in the lightweight division, I think, ‘Hey, I have to fight this Tony Ferguson.'”

The MMA world has long thought along very similar lines. The matchup between Nurmagomedov (28-0 MMA, 12-0 UFC), the undefeated titleholder, and Ferguson (25-3 MMA, 15-1 UFC), the former interim champ who only lost his title due to an injury, has been scheduled four times previously – only to fall apart each time.

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Now the pair are scheduled to headline UFC 249, which takes place April 18 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y. Nurmagomedov currently sits at No. 1 in the latest USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie lightweight rankings, with Ferguson just behind at No. 2, so the stakes of the contest are clear.

The emotion behind it also became evident Friday, when the two engaged in several lengthy verbal clashes before they stood in front of each other for a very spirited staredown.

Nurmagomedov admitted he is no fan of Ferguson as a person, but said he understands the danger the winner of “The Ultimate Fighter 13” and owner of an impressive 12-fight UFC winning streak brings to the cage.

“I think we have to fight,” Nurmagomedov said. “I think he deserves this. He’s a real challenge. I respect his skills, but (as a) fighter. He is a very good fighter, but why people don’t like him is because he’s a stupid guy. Nobody understands him. Like, honestly, he looks stupid. That’s why nobody likes him. But (as a) fighter, he’s a very good fighter, and I respect his skill. That’s why he’s here.

“Biggest fight of the year, and we’ll see April 18.”

It’s a clash that has been long-anticipated in MMA circles, and though it’s seemed cursed, at times, after falling apart for a variety of scenarios, Nurmagomedov is focused on the contest. According to the Dagestani dominator, beating Ferguson is imperative to cementing his place in history.

“If I want to become the greatest lightweight ever, I have to beat this guy,” Nurmagomedov said. “That’s why I’m here.”

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From ‘fake Mexican’ to street cred: Khabib, Tony Ferguson verbally spar at UFC 249 press conference

Khabib Nurmagomedov and Tony Ferguson made it very clear that they can’t wait to get their hands on each other.

LAS VEGAS – UFC lightweight champion [autotag]Khabib Nurmagomedov[/autotag] and [autotag]Tony Ferguson[/autotag] are beyond familiarizing themselves with one another.

Matched up four times before, the two men are preparing to finally meet next month at UFC 249. On Friday, Nurmagomedov (28-0 MMA, 12-0 UFC) and Ferguson (25-3 MMA, 15-1 UFC) traded barbs for the better half of a 25-minute news conference as they sat across from each other with only UFC president Dana White separating them.

The challenger came out high-energy from the start, sporting a pair of MMA gloves and carrying two baseballs. One of the baseballs was immediately chucked into the stands, while the other remained with him. Conversely, Nurmagomedov entered unassumingly and took a seat.

Almost immediately after the first question was asked, Ferguson pointed out his old interim UFC belt he brought to the stage. From there, Ferguson revealed he plans on sparring for the first time since early 2015. Ferguson then turned his attention to Nurmagomedov.

“Oh, wait. Hold on,” Ferguson said. “You like beating on high school wrestlers who are preparing for state the week (after)? And you like having homeless people do push-ups in New York and making fun of them. I owe you two to the stomach, and you owe me 20 push-ups, but I will do the push-ups with you when you lose.”

Nurmagomedov remained relatively calm for the duration but engaged in a few exchanges. As the news conference progressed, Nurmagomedov became more visibly invested in the back-and-forth.

“Who are you?” Nurmagomedov said. “You’ve fought a few American guys. You’ve never fought in the streets. I’m from (Russia). I can eat you. What are you talking about?”

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All throughout the press conference, White wouldn’t dive deeply into questions that implied the four-times-scheduled bout would be canceled for any reason – whether it was Conor McGregor or the coronavirus.

In the final questions, the vitriol peaked. The argument restarted following almost every question – and the bickering elongated with each exchange. At one point, Ferguson told Nurmagomedov he’s learning from a Mexican (likely referencing his coach Javier Mendez). In response, Nurmagomedov called Ferguson a “fake Mexican,” which riled up the Mexican-American.

“You’re not from Mexico,” Nurmagomedov said. “You’re not a real Mexican. You’re a fake Mexican. First you say you’re American, now you’re talking about you being Mexican. Where are you from? Where are you from? You’re not real Mexican. No, no, no, buddy, you’re a California guy. You’re not Mexican. These two are different.”

The news conference ended with a mouthy faceoff. When Ferguson placed his belt on the ground in an effort to flex, Nurmagomedov punted it over. White and security stepped in and ensured the fighters got close – but not too close.

You can watch highlights of Nurmagomedov and Ferguson during the news conference in the video above.

UFC 249 takes place April 18 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN2 and ESPN+/UFC Fight Pass.

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