Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov happened to catch last weekend’s (Sat., June 8, 2019) showdown between Tony Ferguson and Donald Cerrone, which took place at UFC 238 in Chicago, Illinois.
A student of the game, “The Eagle” took a lot from the fight and found glaring holes in their respective games, saying “Cowboy” simply isn’t mentally strong while Ferguson won’t be able to do anything about getting taken down should he ever share the cage with him.
“It was an interesting fight, but anyways, it was standup fight. This is not my style, I maul my opponents. I take them down, smother them and make them tired,” Khabib said in an interview with ESPN. “My style is much different than ‘Cowboy.’
“Even if we talk about boxing, ‘Cowboy’ is a very good kicker but he is not a great boxer. He is not a good top boxer, you know? He have not a bad jab, but when someone pressures him he stop. Mentally he is not strong,” added “The Eagle.”
As far as Tony is concerned, Khabib isn’t shy in admitting he won’t play “El Cucuy’s” game and strike with him for 25 minutes, saying he will stick to his bread and butter like always and maul him on the ground.
“That’s why I win this fight, maybe Tony think I am going to risk or I am going to striking with him, like all of his opponents, no way. He is very skinny on his body and I am going to take him, catch him and in a couple of minutes make him tired and finish him,” he said. “I am completely different fighter than all his opponents.”
Of course, Nurmagomedov is lined up to defend his 155-pound strap against Dustin Poirier at UFC 242 on September 7, 2019 in Abu Dhabi. With a win, he will more than likely defend his title against Ferguson, a man he’s been scheduled to face four times before already.
But if “The Diamond” has his way, that matchup still won’t be happening anytime soon.