Khabib Nurmagamedov says that his title defence against Tony Ferguson will be in a Russian stadium…
It’s been a rollercoaster ride for Khabib Nurmagamedov, but he’s never looked like faltering. The UFC lightweight champion is currently 11-0 in the promotion, with an overall unbeaten record of 28-0. He’s a phenomenal talent and has never looked like losing in any of his fights at the highest level.
There’s only one man in the division with a longer winning streak than the champion. Tony Ferguson has gone 12 fights without losing. In short, he’s well-and-truly established himself as the top contender in the division. Fans are hoping that these two men will finally fight it out. Many believe that Ferguson is the man who can finally beat Khabib.
Although Khabib has also been linked to a fight with Georges St. Pierre, it looks like Ferguson will finally get his shot. This fight has fallen apart on four previous occasions. But now it finally looks like it’s going to go down.
Return
Khabib spoke to RT Sport in Russia and explained when he plans on fighting again. He’s a massive star in his home country. So, it’s highly likely that he’ll finally get to fight on a major card there. You can bet that Ferguson won’t mind going into enemy territory. If ‘The Eagle’ has his way, the fight will be in the 68000-seater Gazprom Arena.
“It will be in March or April. I said it clearly – I want to fight in a large arena, and the only large indoor arena in Russia is Gazprom Arena (in St. Petersburg) … I have to say that Tony Ferguson deserves it more. You have to give him credit. He is on a 12-fight win streak and he deserves it more than Conor.”
If this did happen, you can bet that it would shatter UFC attendance records. Imagine 68000 crazy Russians shouting at you. How do you even prepare for that?
No Chance
One man who won’t be fighting for the title anytime soon is Conor McGregor. The Irishman hasn’t fought since losing to Khabib last October. Since then he’s been involved in a number of unsavoury legal incidents. Khabib isn’t going to gift ‘The Notorious’ a rematch. Basically, he’s told the former champion to get back in line.
“Conor has to come back and stop hitting old people,” Khabib said. “He is a professional fighter. He should come back, win, earn his place and get in line.”
Short and Sweet
Khabib’s father has said that his son will probably only fight two more times. One of those fights will probably be against Ferguson, while GSP is the preferred opponent for the second. So, you better enjoy the Russian’s oppressive style while it lasts. The champion is one of the most effective MMA fighters on the planet. He uses his top-game to dominate his opponents, brutally battering them until he can submit them.
Some think that Ferguson’s Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu ground game will be the perfect counter to this. Only time will tell but let’s hope this fight finally happens. Cancel Christmas and just give us this.
