Khabib Nurmagomedov thinks he’s tougher and physically better than Tony Ferguson.
It seems [autotag]Khabib Nurmagomedov[/autotag] will look to test [autotag]Tony Ferguson[/autotag]’s durability in their upcoming clash.
Speaking to RT Sport, UFC lightweight champion Nurmagomedov (28-0 MMA, 12-0 UFC) gave himself the edge in numerous departments in his UFC 249 matchup vs. Ferguson (25-3 MMA, 15-1 UFC), which takes place April 18 in Brooklyn, N.Y..
“I always rate my chances higher than those of my opponents, since I can’t approach a fight with uncertainty,” Nurmagomedov said, as translated by RT Sport. “I think I’m a lot better than him at wrestling. I’m much better than him physically. I’m tougher than him, and I haven’t lost yet, unlike him.”
Showing plenty of improvements in his striking game, Nurmagomedov believes he can surprise Ferguson with his power, just like he did when he dropped Conor McGregor with a big overhand right in their UFC 229 contest.
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“Unlike him, I haven’t been knocked down yet,” Nurmagomedov said. “He has – I believe seven UFC knockdowns, a lot of falls from punches, so I can hit, and I’m going to hit him especially hard.”
Despite the advantages Nurmagomedov believes he holds, “The Eagle” said he is aware that on paper, Ferguson is perhaps his toughest test to date, which is why he has already started training camp, despite the fight still being four months away.
“I think it’s probably also right to note his strengths,” Nurmagomedov said. “He’s also on a good winning streak; he hasn’t lost since 2012. He’s a very good opponent. In the history of the UFC there’s never been a fight between two people with 12 wins in a row, so it’ll be a big historic event. As an opponent, I take him very seriously.”
With an incredible undefeated record and boasting a UFC title belt, it’s clear Khabib Nurmagomedov is among the best fighters in the world.
The 2010s, arguably the most important decade in the history of mixed martial arts, is coming to a close. One reason why the past 10 years have been so pivotal to the sport is the sheer talent that exists across all divisions – men and women, from flyweight (which didn’t even exist until February 2012) to heavyweight. Simply put, the number of great fighters to grace cages and rings across the world never has been higher.
Here at MMA Junkie, we’ve put together a staff-wide, composite ranking of the top 10 fighters of the past decade, which we’ll reveal Monday-Friday until Dec. 27. Today, we reflect on No. 8: Khabib Nurmagomedov.
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There’s not much to critique when it comes to current UFC lightweight champion [autotag]Khabib Nurmagomedov[/autotag], who has emerged as one of the most unstoppable forces in the history of mixed martial arts.
Undefeated in his MMA career, Nurmagomedov (28-0 MMA, 12-0 UFC) has run through all competition en route to capturing the coveted prize of a UFC belt. He has lost only one round in his career, in his first successful title defense against Conor McGregor at UFC 229, a fight he ended up finishing.
Making his UFC debut in 2012, it was not an easy road for Nurmagomedov, who was plagued with injuries early in his career, frequently halting his momentum in pursuit of climbing the lightweight rankings.
After compiling a 6-0 record to start off his UFC tenure, Nurmagomedov picked up a big win over Rafael dos Anjos in April 2014. He was on the brink of 155-pound contention, but a series of knee injuries kept him sidelined for two years, seeing multiple fights with Donald Cerrone and Tony Ferguson scrapped.
Finally set to make his much anticipated return in a rescheduled bout against Ferguson two years later in 2016, the fight with Ferguson would once again fall through, but this time it was Ferguson who was forced out and replaced by newcomer Darrell Horcher. Nurmagomedov battered Horcher in a one-sided beating, taking him out in the second round.
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From that point, Nurmagomedov would start his dominant reign over the top contenders in the lightweight division, where he was able to maul the likes of Michael Johnson and Edson Barboza, which eventually led to his first title shot, a fight for the vacant lightweight belt once again vs. Tony Ferguson at UFC 223 in April 2018.
Unfortunately, the string of bad luck in the Ferguson fight bookings continued, and in a freak accident, Ferguson tripped over a wire, tearing his knee and forcing him out of the bout. He was briefly replaced by Max Holloway, who ultimately wasn’t cleared to compete due to weight issues, and in unlikely turn of events, Nurmagomedov would wind up facing Al Iaquinta, who was originally scheduled to compete on the same night vs. Paul Felder.
“The Eagle” would pick up another dominant win, employing a slightly different strategy, where he decided to stand and trade with Iaquinta in the latter rounds. It was still more than enough for Nurmagomedov to score a one-sided win, defeating Iaquinta by unanimous decision and claiming the UFC lightweight title.
His first title defense came in a grudge match against former UFC double champion Conor McGregor, who had been stripped of his title due to inactivity. The build-up to the fight got ugly, with McGregor taking numerous personal jabs at Nurmagomedov, in what would become the highest selling pay-per-view event in UFC history. Nurmagomedov was able to get his revenge in the cage, submitting McGregor in the fourth round, using his patented ground-and-pound brutality. Despite losing a round for the first time in his career, it was another perfectly executed fight by Nurmagomedov.
Following the win, Nurmagomedov let out all of his emotions and proceeded to jump over the cage and attack McGregor’s corner. A brawl ensued, and Nurmagomedov ended up receiving a nine-month suspension, forcing him to the sidelines until the following summer.
Khabib Nurmagomedov
After serving the suspension, Nurmagomedov would finally cap off the year by taking on then-interim lightweight champion Dustin Poirier at UFC 242 in Abu Dhabi in a title unification bout. It was the UFC’s first trip to Abu Dhabi since 2014, where Nurmagomedov, a practicing Muslim, has become somewhat of a hometown hero in the Middle East.
Poirier was coming into the fight having won his last five in a row, notching performance bonuses in every one of his wins. He captured the interim title by defeating then-UFC featherweight champion Holloway in one of the best fights of the year.
Just when you thought Nurmagomedov couldn’t top his win over McGregor, he picked up another finish. His pressure once again proved too much, as he was able to control Poirier, choking him out in the third round and notching his second successful title defense.
Considering the early struggles Nurmagomedov faced with numerous injuries and comparing it to where he is now, it’s been a remarkable run. As the competition level got higher, Nurmagomedov got more dominant.
Perhaps he would have been ranked higher if he wasn’t forced to sit out for two years over the past decade, but he is an undeniable candidate, nonetheless. Nurmagomedov already has his first task of 2020, as he is set to face Ferguson at UFC 249 on April 18, where hopefully the fifth time will be the charm.
Khabib Nurmagomedov says the upcoming Conor McGregor-Donald Cerrone fight will have no bearing on the next challenger for his title.
A sizable chunk of the MMA world is getting excited about the UFC 246 clash between [autotag]Conor McGregor[/autotag] and [autotag]Donald Cerrone[/autotag] on Jan. 18, but don’t count UFC lightweight champion [autotag]Khabib Nurmagomedov[/autotag] among that group.
“The Eagle” recently talked to the media at a press conference for regional Russian MMA event GFC 22 in Krasnodar, and was asked for a prediction for the upcoming McGregor-Cowboy clash.
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But, rather than offering a stylistic breakdown of the matchup, Nurmagomedov (28-0, 12-0 UFC) instead made clear his own view about both the matchup, and the respective records of both McGregor (21-4, 9-2 UFC) and Cerrone (36-13, 23-10 UFC).
“I think Cerrone lost seven or eight of his last 10 fights (actually six). The other one (McGregor) is going into his fourth year of no victories,” he said (via translation by RT Sport).
“It’s like the minor leagues – it doesn’t really matter who wins there.
Nurmagomedov also played down suggestions of a potential rematch with McGregor, and laid out specific criteria for the Irish star to earn his way back to a title shot.
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“I’m surprised that Dana White is saying that if Conor beats Cerrone and I beat Tony Ferguson, there will be a rematch,” he said.
“I decide who I’m going to fight next. To fight me he has to cut weight first, down to (lightweight), and win 10 fights in a row like I did. Then we’ll think about a rematch.
“But for now, he can fight second-rate fighters who lose seven out of 10 fights at (welterweight).” But to think he deserves the lightweight belt, while I’m champion that won’t happen, so everything’s alright. Don’t worry.”
Justin Gaethje, how do you really feel about a possible Khabib vs. McGregor rematch?
[autotag]Justin Gaethje[/autotag] is letting the public know how he really feels.
On Wednesday, Gaethje responded to recent comments made by UFC president Dana White.
When speaking on the state of the UFC lightweight division, White indicated that a rematch between champion [autotag]Khabib Nurmagomedov[/autotag] and [autotag]Conor McGregor[/autotag] could be on tap, should both men win their upcoming fights against Tony Ferguson and Donald Cerrone, respectively.
“If Conor can get through ‘Cowboy’ and if Khabib can get through Tony, then we’d be looking at a rematch between Conor and Khabib down the line here pretty soon,” White said in an interview with BT Sport released Tuesday.
Not long after the video of White’s comments hit Twitter, Gaethje responded and voiced his disapproval.
Lol at @danawhite “if Conor gets through Cowboy”… what a crock of sh*t.
If White’s alleged plans hold true, the proverbial monkey wrench will be thrown in Gaethje’s pathway to a title shot.
In an interview with MMA Junkie last week, Gaethje said he planned to sit out and wait to fight the winner of Nurmagomedov vs. Ferguson. He believed he was the No. 1 contender.
“I don’t see it like that,” Gaethje said, when asked if he felt like the odd man out. “I think I’m the next guy in line. The title fight is set, and somebody needs to fight the winner of that fight. So that’s me. I got in this sport for one reason, and that was to fight for a world title.”
McGregor vs. Cerrone is scheduled to headline UFC 246 on Jan. 18 in Las Vegas. Three months later, Nurmagomedov vs. Ferguson serves as the main event for UFC 249 in Brooklyn, N.Y. on April 18.
UFC lightweight champion [autotag]Khabib Nurmagomedov[/autotag] has been part of many big fights, but his father thinks none are bigger than his next one with Tony Ferguson.
Arguably the most anticipated fight in UFC history, Nurmagomedov (28-0 MMA, 12-0 UFC) is set once again to clash with Ferguson (25-3 MMA, 15-1 UFC) on April 18 at UFC 249. It’s a booking that’s been made four times before, with all four falling off for one reason or another.
Speaking to RT Sport, Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov, who also coaches Khabib, knows the importance of this marquee matchup to his son’s legacy.
“I think it’s one of the most important events in this sport,” Abdulmanap said, as translated by RT Sport. “It was planned four times and called off twice because of Khabib and twice because of Tony. Millions of fans are waiting for it. There’s never been anything like this in UFC history. It’s the most important fight in UFC history. It’s important not only for me but for my republic, my country, and all our supporters.”
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Since capturing the vacant 155-pound title at UFC 223 with a dominant win over Al Iaquinta, Khabib has defended his title twice, submitting former UFC double champ Conor McGregor and former interim lightweight champ Dustin Poirier. Khabib continues to show new wrinkles in his game, even surprising McGregor in their UFC 229 fight with a big overhand right that dropped him to the canvas.
“Throughout all this time, we were able to improve our skills in different aspects, especially striking technique,” Abdulmanap said. “We surprise (opponents) more and more each time. Javier (Mendez) promises to surprise this time, but Khabib won’t stray from his father’s plan.”
They’ll face a dangerous and streaking Ferguson, who’s on a 12-fight winning streak, with nine by way of finish. Abdulmanap knows this.
“First of all, he’s got good endurance, a good winning streak,” he said of Ferguson. “He’s been caught, but he finishes all his fights with submissions, cuts or technical knockouts. He has a good arsenal. He is a worthy opponent, and we are preparing accordingly.”
Justin Gaethje talks of missed opportunity with Conor McGregor, feels he is next in line for winner of upcoming lightweight title bout between Khabib Nurmagomedov and Tony Ferguson
Justin Gaethje talks of missed opportunity with Conor McGregor, feels he is next in line for winner of upcoming lightweight title bout between Khabib Nurmagomedov and Tony Ferguson
Ali Abdelaziz says it was an easy process to get the Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Tony Ferguson fight done for UFC 249 in Brooklyn in April.
The stakes may be a lot higher in the fifth attempt to book the [autotag]Khabib Nurmagomedov[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Tony Ferguson[/autotag] fight, but Ali Abdelaziz says the process was smooth sailing.
UFC lightweight champion Nurmagomedov (28-0 MMA, 12-0 UFC) will defend his title against Tony Ferguson (25-3 MMA, 15-1 UFC) at UFC 249 on April 18 in Brooklyn, N.Y., in a matchup that has been a long time coming.
“It’s easy,” Abdelaziz told MMA Junkie. “Khabib has a really good contract. His job is to defend his belt against the best of the best. I feel like Khabib, 28-0, undefeated, 12-0 in the UFC, Tony’s (won 12 in a row) – I believe Tony is the right guy. He deserves it. He earned it. He’s been asking for this ass whooping for a long time. They should have fought five times.
“It was March or April, that was the date, and we thought Brooklyn – it’s a good place to have the fight. The UFC was an easy process – no problem. We got it done. I know Tony had a little bit of a hiccup, but his team and him got it done, too. I think it’s all good. The fight is happening.”
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Nurmagomedov won the vacant 155-pound title at UFC 223 in Brooklyn when he beat Al Iaquinta by unanimous decision. He was initially scheduled to face Ferguson, but a freak accident forced Ferguson out the fight.
Both Nurmagomedov and Ferguson have been forced to pull out twice each in their four previously scheduled bouts. Abdelaziz thinks the long journey, and how far both fighters have come, is what makes this fight even bigger.
“You cannot find a better story, a better fight, better – just a pure martial art form of fight than this fight.”
Khabib Nurmagomedov has opened a gym in his homeland of Dagestan, with the aim of helping young fighters.
[autotag]Khabib Nurmagomedov[/autotag] has opened his own gym in his homeland of Dagestan.
The UFC lightweight champ, along with his father and trainer Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov, opened the facility earlier this week in the capital city of Makhachkala to provide a training ground for Dagestani athletes and help the younger generation become professional fighters.
The facility is under Nurmagomedov’s father’s name, the “Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov Martial Arts School,” The gym boasts training mats, punching bags, an octagon, weight rooms, and even a basketball court with mats, where Nurmagomedov is often seen playing his own version of “Dagestani Basketball.”
“I was very excited about this,” Nurmagomedov told RT Sport. “Today, we opened this gym. This is like dreams come true, and here you can train muay Thai, jiu-jitsu, grappling, combat sambo, MMA, everything what you want. Like you guys see, a lot of kids here, and I think it’s going to be full all day.
“This gym is going to be full, a lot of kids going to be training here. You know, this is why I opened this gym. I want a lot of young generation guys training here and become professional fighters.”
Nurmagomedov’s father gives a tour of the facility in the video below:
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.
MMA Junkie’s John Morgan, “Gorgeous” George and “Goze” unpack the latest MMA news and notes in Episode 5 of “Spinning Back Clique.”
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, John Morgan, “Gorgeous” George and “Goze” react to the latest news, notes and fight bookings, as well as look ahead to UFC on ESPN 7 this weekend.
Show rundown:
Finally, we can discuss [autotag]Conor McGregor[/autotag] news that has to do with cagefighting, as the former two-division UFC champion was booked to headline UFC 246 against [autotag]Donald Cerrone[/autotag]. But the Jan. 18 fight isn’t taking place at lightweight; it’s taking place at welterweight. So, what exactly is at stake here?
It’s happening. … We think. … We hope. For the fifth time, [autotag]Khabib Nurmagomedov[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Tony Ferguson[/autotag] has been booked. The 155-pound title fight is set for what should be UFC 249 on April 18 in New York. Will the fifth time be the charm in us finally seeing this fight, and what can we expect from this point on?
Whether it’s MMA or grappling, former UFC middleweight champion [autotag]Luke Rockhold[/autotag] just seems off. He was cut early before losing a decision to Nick Rodriguez last week at Polaris 12. Combine that with two devastating knockout losses in his last two MMA fights, as well recent comments that his heart isn’t into fighting anymore, and you’ve got to wonder: Where does he go from here with his combat sports career?
UFC Hall of Famer [autotag]Tito Ortiz[/autotag], who meets ex-WWE superstar Alberto El Patron this weekend in Combate Americas, got mad at MMA Junkie last week, calling us “click bait” for writing a story highlighting his comments about current UFC light heavyweight champ [autotag]Jon Jones[/autotag]. “I think I can beat Jon Jones,” Ortiz said. “I think I have a good chance – I really do think I’ve got a good chance.” His words, not ours. So when you hear that, what’s your take on it?
UFC on ESPN 7 this Saturday features [autotag]Alistair Overeem[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Jairzinho Rozenstruik[/autotag] in a heavyweight main event. And in the co-headliner, [autotag]Cynthia Calvillo[/autotag] fights [autotag]Marina Rodriguez[/autotag] at strawweight. Of those four fighters, who has the most to gain with an impressive victory?
For answers to all of those questions, watch Episode 5 of “Spinning Back Clique” in the video above. And make sure to weigh in on McGregor vs. Cerrone in our poll below.
“It was about as smooth as a bumpy road, but we got to our destination, which was cool.”
[autotag]Tony Ferguson[/autotag] says the UFC’s desire to promptly finalize his showdown with lightweight champion [autotag]Khabib Nurmagomedov[/autotag] made the process of booking his first undisputed title fight a bit uncomfortable.
“The manner that they did it really wasn’t the way I wanted to go, so it made the week kind of unpleasant,” Ferguson said Monday on “Ariel Helwani’s MMA Show.” “It puts my fans through the freakin’ ringer, but they kept it lighthearted for me. It was about as smooth as a bumpy road, but we got to our destination, which was cool.”
Ferguson (25-3 MMA, 15-1 UFC), who will indeed challenge Nurmagomedov (28-0 MMA, 12-0 UFC) for the 155-pound title at UFC 249 on April 18 in Brooklyn, N.Y., said it all started when his management at Ballengee Group called to inform him a bout agreement was on the way. He had no prior indication the UFC already wanted to sign the fight and figured there was more to discuss before putting pen to paper.
Ferguson’s side wasn’t done, though, and he wanted a face-to-face with UFC brass to hash everything out, and he got his wish with a visit to UFC headquarters in Las Vegas this past Friday. It was there that he signed his bout agreement.
“The process wasn’t the way I envisioned it going,” Ferguson said. “That’s why I wanted to sit down with the UFC. It’s about time we actually started having conversations and me being a little more personable with the company. It went good. I can’t say that it went bad. It just took time and was a process. I’m just lucky I had my agents there who have my back, so it’s cool to have that.”
Ferguson said he’s “happy with the way things are going” as far as his UFC relationship, and now he can turn his attention to what will be the most anticipated fight of 2020 by the time it arrives.
After failed bookings between Ferguson and Nurmagomedov in 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018, all involved hope the fifth time will be the charm. The fight is still more than four months away, though, and like many others, Ferguson wonders why.
“You’re going to have to ask the UFC (why the fight is in April),” Ferguson said. “Khabib is still on his world tour. He’s doing things, kissing babies and doing all that fun stuff. Who cares? You know who I am. You know I’m ready for February. I was ready to take another opponent if they were going to (expletive) pull some crazy stuff. But everything worked out. We’ve got until April. We’ve got plenty of time to train. We’ve got plenty of time to not get hurt, to be very smart and trust our teams and give the fans exactly what they (expletive) want.”
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No one has been able to solve the puzzle that is the undefeated Nurmagomedov. However, Ferguson holds the same 12-fight winning streak as “The Eagle” and against arguably a higher caliber of competition.
Ferguson has been waiting years to prove he’s superior to Nurmagomedov, whom he called “very beatable,” and take hold of the UFC lightweight belt. Now that his opportunity is signed and official, he said he has no intention of letting it slip away.
“I’m in this dude’s head,” Ferguson said. “He’s looking at me. He’s going to train so hard. He’s going to be so nervous he’s going to make a mistake. I’m going to capitalize on that. I’m going to catch him during the scrambles. Scrambled eggs, baby. I’m going to make him piss blood. I owe him two to the chops, and he owes me 20 push-ups. This guy’s got an issue, and his name is Tony Ferguson. And I’m coming after him. It’s hunting season, baby.”
