Khabib Nurmagomedov is scheduled to make his much-anticipated return to action at UFC on FOX 19 on April 16, 2016 against streaking lightweight contender, Tony Ferguson.
But you can understand why Ferguson is a bit edgy, as the two men were set to compete last year before another injury forced “The Eagle” to the sidelines, yet again. And while “El Cucuy” is the last person to joke about injuries, he challenges Khabib’s training staff to take care of their fighter leading up to the bout.
Because after two years on the sidelines, Ferguson — as well as fight fans — are tired of being let down time and again. And as he vented to MMA Junkie, Nurmagomedov’s No. 2 ranking is not warranted given his extended absence from the fight game.
“Let’s go 25 minutes, with a couple minutes in between, and you’re going to be tested, man. You’re going to be looking at me between the rounds and I’m going to be smiling. I know your will is not as strong as mine. My heart, soul and spirit is there, and this dude just doesn’t have it. He hasn’t shown up for two years almost, and I’m tired of it and I think the fans are tired of it. He’s high up in the rankings, and I don’t know why.”
For his part, Khabib has modified his training methods to avoid further setbacks.
If the fight does indeed go down as scheduled, it could set up the next lightweight contender, as both men carry with them impressive winning streaks. “El Cucuy” boasts seven straight wins, while “The Eagle” has yet to taste defeat in 22 bouts.