Tag: Tony Ferguson

Khabib Nurmagomedov: I’m tougher and much better physically than Tony Ferguson

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.”

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Khabib Nurmagomedov’s father on Tony Ferguson fight: Nothing like this in UFC history

“It’s the most important fight in UFC history.”

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.”

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Justin Gaethje gives thoughts on lightweight division, feels next in line for title shot

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

Off Guard: Ali Abdelaziz says getting Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Tony Ferguson done was easy for UFC 249

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.”

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Tony Ferguson expects Conor McGregor, Donald Cerrone ‘to go in there guns blazing’ at UFC 246

Tony Ferguson has an interesting prediction for the UFC 246 headliner between Conor McGregor and Donald Cerrone.

Everyone has their opinion about who will win the UFC 246 headliner between [autotag]Conor McGregor[/autotag] and [autotag]Donald Cerrone[/autotag].

Perhaps owning an opinion worth a little bit more of your attention than the average Joe is UFC lightweight contender [autotag]Tony Ferguson[/autotag].

A former interim lightweight champion, Ferguson (25-3 MMA, 15-1 UFC) seemingly was in the running to fight McGregor (21-4 MMA, 9-2 UFC) next. Alas, the Irishman will face Cerrone (35-13 MMA, 22-10 UFC) next month at UFC 246.

When he joined “Ariel Helwani’s MMA Show” on Monday, Ferguson weighed in on how he sees the matchup playing out between his former divisional rivals.

“I have to say, if Cerrone kicks him in the chops, McGregor’s going to fall like a ton of bricks,” Ferguson said. “But like I always say, I’m going to go for the double knockout. I think they’re just going to go in there guns blazing. It’s going to be a good fight. I can’t wait to watch it.”

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Three months after McGregor and Cerrone settle business at welterweight, Ferguson will challenge lightweight Khabib Nurmagomedov for the title. The fight will headline a pay-per-view event expected to be UFC 249 on April 18 in New York.

UFC 246 will take place Jan. 18 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The card will stream on pay-per-view following prelims expected to on ESPN/ESPN+.

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Spinning Back Clique: Is McGregor-Cerrone or Khabib-Ferguson more compelling?

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.

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Tony Ferguson details ‘unpleasant’ Khabib Nurmagomedov booking, vows to make rival ‘piss blood’

“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.

That’s when Nurmagomedov’s team released the champion’s signed bout agreement on social media, shortly following UFC president Dana White telling ESPN the fight was targeted for April.

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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.”

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Khabib on a camel? Nurmagomedov hits the desert ahead of Tony Ferguson clash

UFC lightweight champ Khabib Nurmagomedov took to the desert to work up a sweat with a bit of shadowboxing and also rode a camel during a visit to Abu Dhabi.

It’s a quiet weekend in MMA. It always is at this time of the year. So website operators like ourselves sometimes have to make the best of what we can find in the quest for interesting daily content. Thankfully, [autotag]Khabib Nurmagomedov[/autotag] has thrown us a bone via his Instagram page.

Wanna see Khabib on a camel? Sure you do!

The UFC lightweight champ might be enjoying himself over in over in Abu Dhabi this weekend, but as his signed-and-sealed UFC lightweight title fight with [autotag]Tony Ferguson[/autotag] was becoming public knowledge over here, he was already getting down to training over there.

Nurmagomedov was in Abu Dhabi to check out the UAE Warriors show this weekend, but made sure he worked up a sweat as he pounded the treadmill in the hotel gym, then headed out to the desert for a spot of shadowboxing.

View this post on Instagram

Бегите на встречу своей мечте, она сама к вам не придёт и не забывайте, что забег может оказаться очень долгим. — Если ты готов к тяжелому и изнурительному забегу в длинною жизнь, то тебе пора начинать, а то на каком то этапе твоей жизни, ты встретишься с соперником, который опередит тебя, не потому что он лучше тебя, а просто потому, что он начал раньше тебя. — Не теряй время, пора действовать. @alhadaya_karazere @alhadaya.ru

A post shared by Khabib Nurmagomedov (@khabib_nurmagomedov) on

Nurmagomedov is clearly taking the challenge of Ferguson VERY seriously and, in his post from late last week, he explained that he couldn’t afford to let his opposite number get the jump on him in the preparation stakes.

“If you are ready for a difficult and debilitating run into a long life, then you have to start, or at some stage in your life, you will meet a rival who will get ahead of you, not because he is better than you, but simply because he started earlier you,” he said.

“Do not waste time; it’s time to act.”

Seeing Khabib making such serious noises about his upcoming bout only goes to show how big this matchup is (especially given the fact we’ve seen it booked, then canceled, FOUR times before). But we’re not gonna lie. After Ferguson lost his interim title – and his fight with Khabib – after tangling with a cable, the sight of Nurmagomedov on a camel broke us out in a cold sweat.

Now get down from that camel, Khabib. We need you (and Tony) fit and well for April 18. No cables. No camels. No problem.

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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Khabib Nurmagomedov a -250 favorite over Tony Ferguson ahead of UFC title fight – their fifth booking

The third time’s supposed to be the charm, but a pair of the world’s best lightweights have gone above that already.

The third time’s supposed to be the charm, but a pair of the world’s best lightweights have gone above that already.

UFC lightweight champion [autotag]Khabib Nurmagomedov[/autotag] (28-0 MMA, 12-0 UFC) and former interim champ [autotag]Tony Ferguson[/autotag] (25-3 MMA, 15-1 UFC) have been booked to fight four times already. They’ve had fights scrapped in each year from 2015-2018. Now they’ve put pen to paper for a fifth time, hoping this will be the one that sticks.

Ferguson signed his end of the booking agreement late Friday and now will challenge for Nurmagomedov’s belt in April.

With the fight official, the early betting odds have champ Nurmagomedov a decent favorite. Nurmagomedov is a -250 favorite at BetMGM.com. The comeback on Ferguson is +180.

In other words, a $100 bet on Cerrone would pay out $280 (including the original $100 wager) if he pulls the upset. A $100 bet on Nurmagomedov would pay out about $140 (including the original $100 wager) if he wins.

The UFC’s April pay-per-view doesn’t yet have an event number assigned to it, but takes place April 18 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims likely for ESPN and early prelims on UFC Fight Pass/ESPN+.

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Nurmagomedov is No. 1 in the latest USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie MMA lightweight rankings. Ferguson sits just behind him at No. 2. Nurmagomedov also is No. 1 on the pound-for-pound list. Ferguson checks in at No. 11 on that chart.

The unbeaten Nurmagomedov won the vacant lightweight title at UFC 223 in April 2018, also in Brooklyn, with a unanimous decision against Al Iaquinta. For that fight, Nurmagomedov had been scheduled to fight – you guessed it – Ferguson. But Ferguson injured his knee and was forced to pull out. Featherweight champion Max Holloway attempted to step up on short notice, but was pulled after a bad weight cut, so Iaquinta was drafted from further down the card.

After the title win, Nurmagomedov submitted former dual champ Conor McGregor at UFC 229, then set off the now-infamous post-fight brawl with McGregor’s team. That led to a suspension and huge fine from the Nevada Athletic Commission.

In September, Nurmagomedov had his second successful title defense with a third-round submission of Dustin Poirier in the UFC 242 main event in Abu Dhabi.

Ferguson has won 12 straight fights, but fought just once in 2017, 2018 and 2019. Still, he has eight post-fight bonus awards in his past eight fights, including “Fight of the Night” TKOs of former lightweight champ Anthony Pettis at UFC 229 in 2018 and Donald Cerrone earlier this year at UFC 238.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services. Newsrooms are independent of this relationship, and there is no influence on news coverage.

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Tony Ferguson signs contract, meets Khabib Nurmagomedov for UFC title on April 18

Tony Ferguson has signed his bout agreement and will meet Khabib Nurmagomedov for the UFC lightweight title on April 18.

[autotag]Tony Ferguson[/autotag] has signed his bout agreement and will meet [autotag]Khabib Nurmagomedov[/autotag] for the UFC lightweight title on April 18.

After Nurmagomedov (28-0 MMA, 12-0 UFC) inked his side of the deal earlier this week, it took slightly longer for Ferguson’s (25-3 MMA, 15-1 UFC) part of the deal to be finalized with the UFC. It was ultimately finalized though, and the highly anticipated 155-pound title fight is set.

MMA Junkie verified the news of Ferguson’s signed bout agreement on Friday with a member of his management at Ballengee Group following an initial report from ESPN.com.

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The April 18 pay-per-view event, which does not have an event number, is expected to take place at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y.

The matchup between Nurmagomedov, No. 1 in the latest USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie MMA lightweight rankings, and No. 2-ranked Ferguson will mark the fifth time the two have attempted to share the octagon. Each man has pulled out of two scheduled fights, which have been booked in 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018.

Should they successfully make it to the octagon this time around, both Nurmagomedov and Ferguson will bring 12-fight winning streaks into the matchup.

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