UFC lightweight contender Tony Ferguson believes Khabib Nurmagomedov should’ve waited for him to heal up, as opposed to his eventual decision to face Darrell Horcher at UFC on FOX 19.
Two months ago, Tony Ferguson (20-3) was supposed to headline a UFC on FOX card against Khabib Nurmagomedov (23-0) in a presumptive #1 contender matchup. Unfortunately, Ferguson had to withdraw after doctors diagnosed blood and fluid in his lungs, and the fight was scrapped. Nurmagomedov would instead fight Darrell Horcher on short notice, ragdolling his opponent until he got the 2nd round TKO stoppage. It was Khabib’s first fight in 2 years due to his own injury problems, and he’s very much one of the leading names to get the next UFC lightweight title shot.
All things considered, this was not a major injury and Ferguson is already slated to return on July 13th. While he’s fighting Michael Chiesa in a main event slot in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, he believes that Khabib shouldn’t have fought Horcher on short notice at all.
“I was pretty upset that he took the fight against a project manager, when he wouldn’t wait a couple weeks to get an actual legitimate fight,” Ferguson said (via MMAjunkie). “A fight that the fight fans and everybody else, the boss, everybody wanted this fight. I wanted this fight.”
The “project manager” is, of course, referring to Horcher.
Previously, the UFC had set up Ferguson vs. Nurmagomedov as a three-round bout in December 2015, but Nurmagomedov bowed out with an injury, and Ferguson wound up winning a thrilling battle with Edson Barboza on the TUF 22 Finale main card.