Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) lightweight contender, Donald Cerrone, currently ranked No. 4 in the division, is already mapping out the remainder of his 2019 fight campaign, despite having a bout lined up against “looney” Tony Ferguson at UFC 238 this Sat. night (June 8) in Chicago.
That’s because “Cowboy” has seen enough from longtime rival and current UFC lightweight champion, Khabib Nurmagomedov, to know that a high probability exists for “The Eagle” to get injured (like he did here), which would force his withdrawal and leave “The Diamond” without an opponent.
“I think I’m gonna get through Tony, and Khabib or Dustin is going to get injured and I’m going to fill in in September in Abu Dhabi,” Cerrone told ESPN (via BJPenn.com). “I don’t know, I just have a hunch. Khabib’s just really prone to it. I was supposed to fight him three or four times, every time he got injured. I think his training mentality and high pace that he pushes is just… he’s prone to injury. I’m not sure.”
Ferguson also knows a thing or two about Nurmagomedov and his injuries, which got so bad at one point, promotion president, Dana White, vowed to never again book their 155-pound grudge match, though I imagine that stance would soften if “El Cucuy” manages to prevail this weekend in “The Windy City.”
I think regardless of who wins, the loser would be in prime position to welcome the No. 3-ranked Conor McGregor back into the mix. Then again, “Notorious” is also angling for a shot at Nurmagomedov after coming up empty in the UFC 229 main event last October. Even with two major fights already booked, there is still a lot to sort through in the lightweight division.