Khabib Nurmagomedov feels like he was played by the UFC…and he is not taking that lightly. Speaking with Luke Thomas on SiriusXM’s The Luke Thomas Show, the lightweight contender issued a strong ultimatum to the UFC.
He said, per Fight Sports.TV (warning: NSFW language):
If UFC don’t give me the title fight after this fight, I’m going to show how I have power in Russia and I know if I don’t fight for the title next fight, UFC will never ever go to Russia. If I don’t fight after this fight for the title, I never fight in the UFC, no more. I deserve this. If UFC doesn’t give me title after fight…I’m gonna show how I have power in Russia. Because UFC think Conor [McGregor] have power? I have power too. This is not all about pay per view. I have power too. I’m gonna show this power.
Nurmagomedov’s frustration stems from a series of conflicting reports that came out two weeks ago. Following weeks of rumors hinting at a superfight between UFC lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez and UFC featherweight champion Conor McGregor, UFC President Dana White threw the world a curveball by flatly stating on social media that the company was instead looking to have Alvarez defend his title against Nurmagomedov.
The company would later double-down on this by stating on UFC Tonight that it was trying to set up Alvarez vs. Nurmagomedov. Then it triple-downed by adding that Alvarez was no longer a part of the UFC 205 card. Then it quadruple-downed by sending Nurmagomedov a bout agreement.
However, Nurmagomedov’s contention may have been a tool to pressure Alvarez during contract negotiations. The UFC would officially announce Alvarez vs. McGregor as the main event to UFC 205 at a press conference last Tuesday.
Alvarez, speaking with Ariel Helwani on Monday on The MMA Hour (warning: NSFW language), stated he didn’t know if Nurmagomedov entering the equation was “gamesmanship” on the UFC’s part but followed up by saying he didn’t think “there was any other names in question” for UFC 205 outside himself and McGregor.
Obviously, that has left Nurmagomedov frustrated. So frustrated, in fact, it seems he may have implied leveraging political allies in his native Russia. While that may sound odd, the connections between sports and politics in Russia are deep and storied. The connections between western Russian politicians and mixed martial arts, however, are openly flaunted, with fighters unknowingly or actively becoming part of propaganda for regional leaders and events oftentimes becoming celebrations of the oligarchy’s wealth and power.
In the short term, Nurmagomedov has a full plate.
“For me, it’s a crazy situation,” he said. “But it’s OK, life is going and I’m going to keep going and I’m going to finish Michael Johnson at UFC 205 and after this I’m going to fight for the title. I’d rather take this fight because he signed with the UFC bulls–t contract because he knows if he takes fight with me, his belt is going bye bye.”
What comes after November 12’s UFC 205, where Nurmagomedov, Alvarez and McGregor will all compete, will be interesting to watch. If Nurmagomedov isn’t simply lashing out, things could get quite heated.
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