Photo by Mike Roach/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images
Tony Ferguson does not fear going to the ground with Khabib Nurmagomedov, says coach Eddie Bravo.
No matter how many times UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov approaches his fights with the same grappling-heavy gameplan, his opponents are none the wiser as to what to do when the fight inevitably hits the ground.
While most of Khabib’s opponents fear the takedown and desperately try — and usually fail — to scramble back to their feet, top UFC lightweight contender Tony Ferguson gladly welcomes being taken down and is happy to work and attack off of his back.
Coach Eddie Bravo believes this could be the key to success against Nurmagomedov, stating in a recent interview with MO HOSANI 360 that ‘El Cucuy’ could wind up submitting ‘The Eagle’ with a D’Arce choke.
“With that caliber of fight, I don’t make predictions,” Bravo said (h/t BJPenn.com). “But we are planning on beating him.
“[I] can’t give away too much, but the difference is, everybody [else] is running from Khabib on the ground,” he continued, explaining what sets Ferguson apart from Nurmagomedov’s previous foes. “They spend the whole time trying to get to the fence to get back up. Tony’s not going to do that. Tony’s going to attack. So it’s going to be a little different. He’s going to attack with submissions, and he’s going to attack with elbows. He’s not going to try to get back up. He’ll try to keep the fight standing and do some takedown defense and all that stuff…
“When you’re looking for D’arces all the time, it alters your game. D’arcers, your approach them a little bit differently, it alters your game. Tony is that guy. Tony will hit those things from every angle. While Khabib is trying to take him down, he’s gotta watch out for all that s**t.”
Although the bout hasn’t been confirmed, it’s expected that Khabib vs. Ferguson will take place sometime in the new year.