Khabib Nurmagomedov will return to the Octagon on April 18.
Nurmagomedov has been matched up with Tony Ferguson for the fifth time. Each time the fight has been booked, both Nurmagomedov and Ferguson have pulled out twice each. Hopefully, the fifth time will be the charm. The pair will headline an event to be named from the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.
Ahead of the matchup, Nurmagomedov has been very vocal that his mixed martial arts (MMA) career is close to wrapping up. In a recent interview with RT Sport, “The Eagle” doubled down on these comments, saying he will reevaluate if there’s any point to fighting again after his matchup with Ferguson.
“Well, we don’t have a plan for when we’re going to finish but I do know it is not over the mountains, as they say,” Nurmagomedov said. “That time is very close. I don’t want to think about the future, I still have to live to April, I still have to fight, I need to win. So, I don’t like to look too far ahead.
“Now we have an opponent, Tony Ferguson, a very serious opponent. And I think it’s necessary to have this fight then we’ll sit down and think about what’s next. We’ll consider whether there’s any point in fighting any more. There will always be a reason to fight, money. But will we need it? We’ll think about it.
“I feel good now. I’m 31 and it’s a very good age to fight, and for sport. I’m far from retirement age, but it’s around the corner.”
Specifically, on the matchup with Ferguson, Nurmagomedov believes he has several advantages. He sees himself as the better wrestler, the more physical fighter, and believes his power can give Ferguson problems, as “El Cucuy” has been dropped several times before.
“I always rate my chances higher than those of my opponents since I can’t approach a fight with uncertainty,” Nurmagomedov said. “I think I’m a lot better than him at wrestling, I’m much better than him physically. I’m tougher than him, and I haven’t lost yet, unlike him.
“Unlike him I haven’t been knocked down yet. He has, I believe seven UFC knockdowns, a lot of falls from punches. So I can hit, I’m going to hit him especially hard.”
Do you think Nurmagomedov will fight again after his bout with Ferguson?
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