The long-awaited fight between Khabib Nurmagomedov and Tony Ferguson is creeping ever closer. We are just eight weeks out from the lightweight title fight at UFC 249. Although history may tell us to not get too excited, I just can’t help it!
Especially after hearing Eddie Bravo, BJJ coach for ‘El Cucuy’ talking up his fighters chances whilst speaking on the Joe Rogan Experience – Fight Companion, he said.
“We’ve been
preparing for Khabib for a long time. We’re always preparing for the worst-case
scenario, and Khabib is the worst-case scenario. He’s probably the best
ground-and-pounder wrestler ever. This is the toughest challenge ever in MMA
for 10th Planet.”
Despite
giving respect to the champion, Bravo believes that we have seen moments where
Nurmagomedov has been unable to impose his game as he would’ve liked.
“The thing
with Khabib, Khabib is undefeated – no doubt one of the best fighters of all
time,” Bravo said. “But you’ve got to remember this, too: There are a couple of
Khabib fights – we’ve watched all the Khabib fights – where you don’t
see the classic Khabib. Like Gleison Tibau – that didn’t go down like (people
expected). There are some fights Khabib (looks human).
“You can
also look at the (Rafael) dos Anjos fight – there are things he couldn’t do
that he could do with other people. He couldn’t get past dos Anjos’ guard. (He)
wasn’t that easy to take down.”
The 10th
Planet Jiu-Jitsu owner talked up Ferguson’s wrestling credentials and compared
them Conor McGregor’s who had some success against the lightweight king. He also mentions the many tools possessed by
his fighter who can end the fight in a variety of ways.
“Tony wrestled his whole (expletive) life,” Bravo said. “There’s a light year difference between Conor’s wrestling and Tony’s wrestling, so you’ve got that. Tony will throw D’Arce (chokes) standing and from all different angles, and while you’re trying to take him down. So Khabib’s got to worry about that.
“Khabib has my respect a million percent – that guy’s insane. But Tony has so many (expletive) weapons. He might have more weapons than anyone in the history of the UFC.” (Transcribed by MMA Junkie)