When it was unveiled that Tony Ferguson was injured and had been forced out of his massive title fight with Khabib Nurmagomedov at this Saturday’s (Sat., April 7, 2018) UFC 223 from the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, MMA lost its biggest fight of the year thus far.
Featherweight champion Max Holloway ultimately took advantage of the opportunity and stepped up on short notice to fight the undefeated Nurmagomedov, but there was predictably another name whom ‘The Eagle’ wanted to fight on short notice.
That man was, of course, lightweight champion Conor McGregor, whom UFC president Dana White insisted he would much rather save for a bout he had enough time to promote and take full advantage of his biggest star.
But during an appearance on The MMA Hour this week, Khabib told Ariel Helwani that McGregor, who has largely been out of the spotlight save for a recent Burger King commercial, could have made weight to fight him:
“Where is this Burger King?” Nurmagomedov said. “Take this Burger King here.
“Now, where is this guy? Six days to make weight. He can make weight. Bring this guy.”
That guy would not be brought, however, even though a fight between the two is arguably the biggest fight the UFC could currently book outside of perhaps a McGregor vs. Georges St-Pierre super fight.
But it’s also a perceivably bad match-up for McGregor, who has struggled with top wrestlers who were not on the level of the peerless Dagestani grappler. Due to that perception, Khabib believes the UFC is trying to save McGregor from the beatdown he would lay on him:
“I think they want him to look nice,” Nurmagomedov said. “He famous. If I change his face … they won’t take somebody who has crazy face.”
While McGregor will not be participating at UFC 223 this weekend, White did speculate he would return sometime around this September to face the winner of this Saturday’s main event, and one of the biggest match-ups in UFC history could transpire if it is Nurmagomedov, even if a rematch with Holloway would be huge as well.
In Khabib’s eyes, the possibility has gained so much steam, it’s the most interesting fight in MMA or boxing right now:
“It’s most interesting fight in MMA and boxing right now.”
Indeed it may be, and the only thing standing in the way of it happening is a win over Holloway this weekend, something Khabib is heavily favored to secure.
Well, that and McGregor actually coming back from his self-imposed hiatus to face the steamrolling mat technician.
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