John Kavanagh has a prediction for the interim lightweight title bout. The SBG Ireland coach has played a crucial role in the success of reigning Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) lightweight title holder Conor McGregor. Kavanagh is well aware of the situation at hand this Saturday night (March 4). Khabib Nurmagomedov and Tony Ferguson will battle […]
John Kavanagh has a prediction for the interim lightweight title bout. The SBG Ireland coach has played a crucial role in the success of reigning Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) lightweight title holder Conor McGregor. Kavanagh is well aware of the situation at hand this Saturday night (March 4). Khabib Nurmagomedov and Tony Ferguson will battle […]
A ton of people have been speaking their mind on the fact that the co-main event of UFC 209, Khabib Nurmagomedov versus Tony Ferguson, should be the main attraction of the show. Whether or not you agree with that point, the truth of the matter is that this fight is certainly one for the ages as both men have looked nigh invincible during their UFC tenure. What’s more, one of these men will have to experience the bitter taste of defeat as they head for a collision course that could be one of the greatest lightweight scraps in the sport’s history.
A ton of people have been speaking their mind on the fact that the co-main event of UFC 209, Khabib Nurmagomedov versus Tony Ferguson, should be the main attraction of the show. Whether or not you agree with that point, the truth of the matter is that this fight is certainly one for the ages as both men have looked nigh invincible during their UFC tenure. What’s more, one of these men will have to experience the bitter taste of defeat as they head for a collision course that could be one of the greatest lightweight scraps in the sport’s history.
Khabib Nurmagomedov is an absolute savage. To neglect to mention the fact would be remiss on my part. Since entering the UFC he’s looked pretty damn impressive. He capped off his twenty-fourth straight win with a domination of Michael Johnson. What makes Khabib so dangerous? His indomitable will that sees the Dagestan native push the pace, push towards his opponents with strikes, then wrap his arms around his prey where the thrashing begins. While his striking may not be polished, Khabib has found a way to make it effective. He’ll throw a standard one-two, then instantly explode forward with a hook in order to enter into the clinch and secure a takedown by any means.
Whether it’s a judo throw, double or single leg, once Khabib is in that clinch position you either need to spin off and push away the head or find yourself with your back to the mat.
On the other side of the equation we have Tony Ferguson who brings a much more balanced skill set to the table. He has striking, he has wrestling, and great submission abilities. His gas tank seems to be endless and he pushes the pace with consistent striking combinations from lead uppercuts to sharp low leg kicks. Ferguson also enjoys switching stances in the middle of combo strings to find the inside and outside angles in hopes exploiting openings. He’ll throw a cross from orthodox stance, switch to south paw where he’ll through a rear uppercut, back to orthodox for a rear leg kick to a spinning back fist. His striking is at once technical and chaotic and always packs a punch. But his he’s more controlled than his foe in that he uses fundamentals.
His jab is sharp and long and he uses it as a legit weapon as well as a range finder which adds variety to his striking arsenal. Ferguson will do well to keep Khabib on the end of his punches and if the Sambo specialist does try to shoot for the takedown, a traditional needs to be at the ready and if he can’t manage that, his nifty forward roll needs to be on hand to create a scramble.
I’ve always said that Ferguson would be a tougher match up for Conor McGregor if the legit lightweight champ ever decides to come back and defend his title. That’s not to say that Khabib wouldn’t give McGregor trouble, but the pace that Ferguson can put on people, coupled with his size, striking, chin, and submission game, makes him a terrible match up for the lightweight champ. That’s not to say Khabib can’t grind McGregor into the cage, land a takedown and smash him on the ground. Either way, we still have to see Ferguson and Khabib do the damn thing at UFC 209. I’ll be sure to watching with a whiskey in hand and a smile plastered across my face.
Who do you think wins the interim lightweight title: Khabib Nurmagomedov or Tony Ferguson?
Jonathan Salmon is a writer, martial arts instructor, and geek culture enthusiast. Check out his Twitter and Facebook to keep up with his antics.
Top welterweight contender Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson was not at his best in the first meeting with champion Tyron Woodley for the title belt at UFC 205 last November, yet he still left the Octagon without a loss.
Thompson (13-1-1) and Woodley (…
Top welterweight contender Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson was not at his best in the first meeting with champion Tyron Woodley for the title belt at UFC 205 last November, yet he still left the Octagon without a loss.
Thompson (13-1-1) and Woodley (16-3-1) battled to a majority draw at Madison Square Garden in New York City, and the former is favored for the second time this Saturday night in the rematch at UFC 209 Saturday in Las Vegas.
T-Mobile Arena will be the site of two championship fights after three belts were on the line the last time Woodley and Thompson squared off. The co-main event will see Khabib Nurmagomedov (24-0) meet Tony Ferguson (22-3) for the interim lightweight title as well; champion Conor McGregor is taking most of 2017 off.
Just like the first matchup, Thompson is viewed as the better fighter in the eyes of sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark as solid -160 chalk (bet $160 to win $100) despite not holding the belt. He was nearly stopped in the fourth round by Woodley last time but rallied to hang on and leave with a draw. The lone setback of Thompson’s career remains a unanimous-decision loss to Matt Brown in 2012.
Meanwhile, Woodley, a +130 underdog (bet $100 to win $130), has felt disrespected by the organization and oddsmakers, and he does not seem to be taking this rematch as seriously because he thought he clearly earned a victory. Woodley has also publicly stated that he believes he should be marketed more as the reigning champ.
However, many MMA fans feel the first meeting between Nurmagomedov and Ferguson is the more highly anticipated bout of the two based on their banter over the past year.
Each has proven himself as a worthy contender for the lightweight title held by McGregor, and they have both campaigned hard for fighting each other through social media. With McGregor more focused on a boxing match against Floyd Mayweather after his first child is born, it made sense to make this interim title matchup.
Nurmagomedov had threatened to leave the organization if he did not get a title shot, and he is the only fighter in the division who could seriously challenge McGregor. That is why he is listed as a -185 favorite over Ferguson (+150), even though his opponent has won more bouts inside the Octagon and has a nine-fight winning streak on the line.
The wait is almost over for Tony Ferguson’s bout with Khabib Nurmagomedov. Ferguson and Nurmagomedov will throw down this Saturday night (March 4) inside the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada in the co-main event of UFC 209. The main card airs live on pay-per-view (PPV) at 10 p.m. ET. “El Cucuy” has a chance […]
The wait is almost over for Tony Ferguson’s bout with Khabib Nurmagomedov. Ferguson and Nurmagomedov will throw down this Saturday night (March 4) inside the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada in the co-main event of UFC 209. The main card airs live on pay-per-view (PPV) at 10 p.m. ET. “El Cucuy” has a chance […]
Khabib Nurmagomedov isn’t interested in hearing about Conor McGregor. “The Eagle” battles Tony Ferguson this Saturday night (March 4) for the interim Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) lightweight title. As far as Nurmagomedov is concerned, he’s fighting for the “real” 155-pound championship at UFC 209. McGregor is the reigning UFC lightweight title holder, who is out […]
Khabib Nurmagomedov isn’t interested in hearing about Conor McGregor. “The Eagle” battles Tony Ferguson this Saturday night (March 4) for the interim Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) lightweight title. As far as Nurmagomedov is concerned, he’s fighting for the “real” 155-pound championship at UFC 209. McGregor is the reigning UFC lightweight title holder, who is out […]
The UFC has put together a stacked card for its UFC 209 event this Saturday, March 4, in Las Vegas. In the main event, welterweight champion Tyron Woodley takes on Stephen Thompson in a rematch of their November 2016 draw at UFC 205, which was one of t…
The UFC has put together a stacked card for its UFC 209 event this Saturday, March 4, in Las Vegas. In the main event, welterweight champion Tyron Woodley takes on Stephen Thompson in a rematch of their November 2016 draw at UFC 205, which was one of the most competitive and compelling fights of the year.
The rest of the event is full of both meaningful and entertaining matchups. The co-main event is one of the very best fights the UFC can put together right now, an interim title fight featuring surging lightweights Khabib Nurmagomedov and Tony Ferguson. The two fighters have combined to go 20-1 in 21 total UFC bouts and might just be the two best fighters in the division ruled by Conor McGregor.
The lightweight scrap between Lando Vannata and David Teymur features a pair of entertaining, up-and-coming strikers in a great action fight, while a heavyweight banger pitting Mark Hunt and Alistair Overeem against each other in a rematch nine years in the making opens the main card. Former light heavyweight champion Rashad Evans makes his middleweight debut against Dan Kelly.
Promising prospects litter the preliminary card. Blue-chip featherweight youngster Mirsad Bektic gets a big step up in competition against Darren Elkins, while bantamweight Luke Sanders gets a huge matchup with Iuri Alcantara. The light heavyweight fight between Tyson Pedro and Paul Craig, the Fight Pass headliner, will crown the most worthy young up-and-comer in that talent-starved division.
Top welterweight contender Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson was not at his best in the first meeting with champion Tyron Woodley for the title belt at UFC 205 last November, yet he still left the Octagon without a loss.