The rivalry between top UFC lightweights Khabib Nurmagomedov and Tony Ferguson continues. Following the main event of UFC Fight Night 112 on Sunday night in Oklahoma City, Kevin Lee, who picked up a controversial submission win over Michael Chiesa, called out Nurmagomedov. Although it would be an exciting matchup, there is one problem with making that fight happen, and that is Nurmagomedov only wanting to fight Ferguson.
Although their interim title bout at UFC 209 fell through, Nurmagomedov made it clear during a recent interview with RT Sport (h/t to MMA Fighting) that he plans to return in the fall and when he does, he is only interested in fighting Ferguson.
“I’m going through rehabilitation. I can’t give you a certain date, but it’s going to be this fall. I’ll take this summer to rehabilitate, and in the fall, I’ll start my preparation, and at the end of the fall, I want to have a fight. We’ll go for the same fight with Ferguson. I have no interest in any other fight. I have to finish my business with Tony Ferguson.”
It appears at a fight between Ferguson and Nurmagomedov might never happen as the promotion has attempted to book the fighters against each other on three separate occasions yet the fight has failed to materialize every time due to injury withdrawals.
Ferguson has heard Nurmagomedov loud and clear, but he is not so quick to reschedule the fight with Nurmagomedov. Ferguson worked as an analyst for FOX Sports for UFC Fight Night 112 and during the show, he said that Nurmagomedov needed to “beg” for that fight to be remade.
“Team Khabib – I’m sorry, Team Tiramisu, this message is for you. You checked yourself into rehab [but] what you need to do is find Jenny Craig. You need a dietician, my friend. You say we have unfinished business. I showed up, I made weight, you decided to chicken out, my friend.
“Actually, you’re not my friend. I don’t like you at all. You don’t even come close to it. You and your fuzzy hat. But I can’t wait to shut that hype train down so maybe if you’re lucky and you beg me enough, I might give you that one chance to get that belt against numero uno right here. Until then, have fun making that weight cut. . .
“Good luck trying to get this fight. So like I said, if you want to beg me for that fight, maybe somewhere along the lines of UFC 300, if you do make that weight, maybe you’ll show up and you’ll actually make the weight and we’ll have a fight and maybe the fans can see you get that one loss on your record.”
.@tonyfergusonXT has a message for @TeamKhabib following his challenge to Tony from rehab. #ShotsFired #StrongWords pic.twitter.com/jp0pm1o8g2
— FOX Sports: UFC (@UFCONFOX) June 26, 2017
With UFC lightweight champion Conor McGregor not around right now, the division is a bit backlogged, to say the least. With Nurmagomedov out of action, Ferguson has been looking for a fight with Nate Diaz, who has not shown much interest in the fight. The UFC could book Lee against Ferguson, but Ferguson has gone on record by saying that Lee’s resume still didn’t meet his “standards” for a fight.
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