Following his head-kick knockout over Jim Miller on Wednesday night, former WEC title challenger Donald Cerrone only has so many matchups that make sense for him at the top of the UFC’s lightweight division.
Luckily, he called out top contender K…
Following his head-kick knockout over Jim Miller on Wednesday night, former WEC title challenger Donald Cerrone only has so many matchups that make sense for him at the top of the UFC’s lightweight division.
Luckily, he called out top contender KhabibNurmagomedov prior to the bout with Miller, per MMA Fight Corner, and the undefeated Russian superstar likes the idea.
The American Kickboxing Academy standout is apparently not very patient, as he has already sent out a follow-up message to the UFC and company president Dana White.
The win on Wednesday evening marked Cerrone‘s fourth in a row since November of last year, with all of the victories coming via a stoppage.
While Cowboy is undeniably on a roll, Nurmagomedov arguably has more momentum than anybody else on the UFC roster.
Boasting an unblemished 22-0 professional record overall, The Eagle is 6-0 inside the Octagon since January 2012—largely due to the fact that no one has come up with an answer for his takedowns.
The Russian grappler’s last victory came against fellow contender Rafael dos Anjos at UFC on Fox 11 in April, as the Brazilian couldn’t solve Nurmagomedov‘s ground game.
According to the UFC’s official rankings, Nurmagomedov is the No. 4 lightweight in the company, while Cerrone cracks the list at No. 6, though that may change after his decisive win over Miller.
Following UFC Fight Night 45, is there a high-profile lightweight clash that makes more sense than Cerrone vs. Nurmagomedov?
John Heinis is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. He is also the MMA editor for eDraft.com.
Sometimes, the path is pretty clear when it comes to matchmaking in the UFC. Sometimes, two dogs are snarling at each other through the chain link, and you’ve just got to put them together and let them hash it out.
After UFC Fight Night 45 and the rema…
Sometimes, the path is pretty clear when it comes to matchmaking in the UFC. Sometimes, two dogs are snarling at each other through the chain link, and you’ve just got to put them together and let them hash it out.
After UFC Fight Night 45 and the remarkable showing by one Donald Cerrone, it’s pretty clear who he should fight next: prospect-turned-contender Khabib Nurmagomedov.
Cerrone looked excellent in stopping Jim Miller in Atlantic City, New Jersey, on Wednesday night. He was smooth and confident, tackling the hometown slugger with the type of slick grace that is always evident when he’s on his game.
He was focused and committed to his plan of attack, and when the chance came to end the fight, he very calmly did so.
It was a textbook Cowboy victory—the type he’s had on occasion in the past and the type that truly makes one wonder if he could be a champion.
When he’s going like he was in AC, few men can match him.
One way to find out about that championship potential is to give him Nurmagomedov.
The young Russian is a chore for anyone in the game. At 22-0, the cold-blooded fighter has found it increasingly difficult to find opponents with each dominant win.
However, Cerrone is by no means afraid of a fight. He’ll sign on the dotted line.
Above all, the bout would accomplish two things.
It would settle, once and for all, whether or not Cerrone has the skills to contend for a title before his time in the sport is complete. It would also give Nurmagomedov the chance at a big signature win before he challenges for the title.
Whoever walks out of their meeting would have a pretty obvious claim to a title shot, especially considering the relative flux at the top of the lightweight heap these days.
Benson Henderson won’t get a shot anytime soon, Josh Thomson is fighting in a week, and TJ Grant has been out for a year with a concussion. After Gilbert Melendez gets his chance in December, there is no clear top guy to challenge for gold.
A few months ago, the UFC got it incredibly correct when it booked Cerrone vs. Miller. Fight Night 45’s thrilling main event proved as much.
The company now has the chance to get it right with Cerrone again, but this time against a tougher opponent and with higher stakes.
Cerrone vs. Nurmagomedov isn’t just a fight to make, it’s the only fight to make.
UFC Fight Night 42 in Albuquerque, New Mexico, was a big night for Benson Henderson, as the former lightweight champion scored his first stoppage victory inside the Octagon. His fourth-round rear-naked choke of Rustam Khabilov showed us that Henderson …
UFC Fight Night 42 in Albuquerque, New Mexico, was a big night for Benson Henderson, as the former lightweight champion scored his first stoppage victory inside the Octagon. His fourth-round rear-naked choke of Rustam Khabilov showed us that Henderson is capable of more than simply doing enough to earn a decision, cementing his spot at No. 1 in the UFC’s rankings.
Is Henderson evolving into a full-blown finisher? That much remains to be seen. While we don’t know whom he’ll face in his next outing, we know it won’t be Anthony Pettis, who is currently gearing up to coach the 20th season of The Ultimate Fighter opposite Gilbert Melendez.
The two opposing coaches will face off for the lightweight title at the end of the year, leaving Henderson to continue his uphill march back to contention. With most of the lightweight heap already booked in upcoming fights, who should be next for Henderson?
Should he wait for the winner of one of the highly anticipated lightweight scraps taking place over the next two months? Or should he take on someone who doesn’t currently have a dance partner?
Should he take on someone down the ladder a bit, such as Joe Lauzon or Myles Jury? Or should he go toe-to-toe with Khabib Nurmagomedov or Rafael dos Anjos?
Let’s take a look at five options for Henderson’s next opponent.
Twitter has become a powerful marketing tool for fighters to improve their standing in the UFC’s ranks.
Surging lightweight contender Khabib Nurmagomedov took full advantage of the social media platform by calling out UFC lightweight champ Anthony Pett…
Twitter has become a powerful marketing tool for fighters to improve their standing in the UFC’s ranks.
Surging lightweight contender KhabibNurmagomedov took full advantage of the social media platform by calling out UFC lightweight champ Anthony Pettis.
Things got started when Benson Henderson took a slight jab at Pettis in the post-fight press conference for being injured and not defending the lightweight title since winning it back in August.
While Pettis was focusing on his biggest rival in the lightweight division, Nurmagomedov let Pettis know there’s another man he should be concerned with.
Pettis responded by questioning the strength of Nurmagomedov‘s resume.
The exciting lightweight contender would then echo what Henderson mentioned by pointing out how injury prone Pettis has been thus far in his MMA career.
Although Pettis would remove the tweet, Bloody Elbow was able to capture Pettis saying that he’s not worried about Nurmagomedov because his car costs more than Nurmagomedov‘s house.
Nurmagomedov would then send a final two tweets toward Pettis in regard to his financial situation.
Although Pettis has become one of the most exciting fighters on the UFC roster, he has had a number of injury issues. Those injuries have caused Pettis to compete only five times since coming over from the WEC back in 2011.
Nurmagomedov, meanwhile, has yet to taste defeat in his MMA career with a record of 22-0. His latest win came over top-five-ranked Rafael dos Anjos, and the Dagestan native has been nothing short of must-see TV in the Octagon.
Pettis will be on the sidelines until later this year as he will be coaching opposite Gilbert Melendez on the next season of The Ultimate Fighter.Nurmagomedov will likely take another high-profile fight to cement his status as a top contender, which likely means we haven’t seen the end of these two exchanging words.
Khabib Nurmagomedov is taking his new bear-wrestler persona and running with it. The undefeated lightweight phenom just posted an Instagram video of him grappling with a chained, muzzled bear, then trying to slap a high-five with it at the end, as if the bear has any idea what he’s trying to communicate. Seems a little inhumane, but Nurmagomedov comes from a different culture, and WE MUST NOT JUDGE, right?
Speaking of cultural differences, MMAJunkie reports that the UFC originally wanted to book Nurmagomedov to fight Jim Miller on the July 16th Atlantic City UFC Fight Night card, but Nurmagomedov’s management turned it down because the fight fell on Ramadan, and the Dagestan native is a practicing Muslim. Instead, Miller will fight Donald Cerrone, and Nurmagomedov is expected to return to the Octagon by September against an opponent to be named later.
Khabib Nurmagomedov is taking his new bear-wrestler persona and running with it. The undefeated lightweight phenom just posted an Instagram video of him grappling with a chained, muzzled bear, then trying to slap a high-five with it at the end, as if the bear has any idea what he’s trying to communicate. Seems a little inhumane, but Nurmagomedov comes from a different culture, and WE MUST NOT JUDGE, right?
Speaking of cultural differences, MMAJunkie reports that the UFC originally wanted to book Nurmagomedov to fight Jim Miller on the July 16th Atlantic City UFC Fight Night card, but Nurmagomedov’s management turned it down because the fight fell on Ramadan, and the Dagestan native is a practicing Muslim. Instead, Miller will fight Donald Cerrone, and Nurmagomedov is expected to return to the Octagon by September against an opponent to be named later.
The lightweight division is one of the deepest collectives under the UFC banner and Khabib Nurmagomedov has carved out his place as a major player.
The undefeated Dagestan native had a solid amount of buzz surrounding his promotional debut back in 2012…
The lightweight division is one of the deepest collectives under the UFC banner and Khabib Nurmagomedov has carved out his place as a major player.
The undefeated Dagestan native had a solid amount of buzz surrounding his promotional debut back in 2012 and has spent the past two years turning that hype into a legitimate case for title contention. The 25-year-old has found victory in all six of his showings inside the Octagon and put on impressive—and in most cases dominant—performances against a cast of seasoned veterans.
While “The Eagle” has continued to show progress in his striking attack, it is his grappling that has given the opposition fits. Nurmagomedov’s wrestling and full-out tenacity have proven to be overwhelming and a difficult puzzle to solve inside the cage, and those skills have been directly responsible for his three most recent wins.
The AKA-trained fighter set a UFC record for takedowns when he rag-dolled knockout artist Abel Trujillo, then defeated Strikeforce veteran Pat Healy and rising contender Rafael dos Anjos, respectively. Nurmagomedov outworked “RDA” when the two met last month at UFC on Fox 11, and the lopsided unanimous-decision victory has him on the cusp of much bigger things in the 155-pound fold.
That said, the upper tier of the lightweight division is currently in the midst of a “stop and go” phase where traffic toward a title shot is concerned, and the talented young Russian is most likely going to have to play the “wait and see” game in order to determine who his next challenger will be.
Nevertheless, Nurmagomedov is certainly within striking distance of earning a title opportunity, but he will need at least one more big win before a title shot materializes.
Let’s take a look at the potential options for Nurmagomedov’s net bout.
Winner of Benson Henderson vs. Rustam Khabilov
The lightweight title won’t come into play until the end of the year and that has left a lot of room for the next title challenger to emerge. Champion Anthony Pettis will attempt to defend his strap against Gilbert Melendez in December, and that has created a huge lane for one of the fighters at the elite level of the division to prove they are more deserving than the rest of the pack.
The current scenario is such that it is going to take a few solid victories to earn the coveted title opportunity. The upcoming matchup between Benson Henderson and Rustam Khabilov will certainly play a crucial role in that picture. The former lightweight champion and the surging Russian talent will square off in the main event of Fight Night 42 when the UFC visits Albuquerque for the first time on June 7.
The MMA Lab fighter has been one of the most prominent fighters on the lightweight roster since the WEC merged into the UFC in 2011.
“Smooth” has been successful in eight of his nine showings inside the Octagon and put together a seven-fight winning streak that saw him earn the lightweight title and successfully defend his belt on several occasions throughout that run. His only setback under the UFC banner came against Anthony Pettis last August at UFC 164, where “Showtime” earned the first-round submission victory.
The 30-year-old Colorado native was eager to get things back on track and did so by edging out Josh Thomson in a controversial split decision in the main event at UFC on Fox 10 back in January.
His victory over “The Punk” kept him in the title mix, but the circumstances at hand in the lightweight division and his recent loss to Pettis meant Henderson was going to need a few strong showings before he would be considered for another championship opportunity.
He will face Khabilov next month in New Mexico, and if he is successful against “The Tiger,” a title eliminator bout against Nurmagomedov would make a tremendous amount of sense.
Things are a bit trickier on the Khabilov’s side of the table. The Russian suplex machine has certainly been a force to be reckoned with inside the cage and has looked more impressive with each showing inside the Octagon.
The 27-year-old Albuquerque transplant has been victorious in all three of his showings under the UFC banner and has built a solid amount of buzz in the process. There is no doubt his upcoming bout against Henderson could yield a very big reward, the likelihood of him facing Nurmagomedov in his next outing is unlikely.
The two men are friends and former training partners from their time spent in Dagestan, and their relationship could very well throw a wrench into making that fight a reality.
While money and the type of prestige that comes with a high-profile bout has the potential to change any circumstance, it would be a long shot to get the two Russian fighters into the Octagon without a title on the line. The business of MMA is certainly unpredictable, but the chances of Nurmagomedov vs. Khabilov are grim.
In a division with as much high-powered talent as there is at 155 pounds, there is little room for error where wins and losses are concerned. Once a fighter crosses over into the elite tier of the weight class, every bout comes with crucial importance.
Both Donald Cerrone and Jim Miller are currently swimming in those waters. The two men will face off in the main event of Fight Night 45 in what is sure to be a highly anticipated showdown between two of the scrappiest fighters in the division.
“Cowboy” is no stranger to putting together winning streaks, and he’s currently in the midst of another impressive run. The Jackson/Winkeljohn-trained fighter has collected three consecutive wins inside the Octagon and has finished his opponent in each of those showings.
Cerrone has started to build a strong case for a return to the contender’s table at 155 pounds, and his upcoming bout with Miller will certainly determine which route—whether he jumps up into title contention or is reshuffled.
Should he defeat Miller in Atlantic City, a potential matchup with Nurmagomedov could certainly become reality. Cerrone’s striking would be some of the best Nurmagomedov has ever faced, and his submission game is one of the slickest in the lightweight fold.
While the undefeated prospect-turned-contender would have a decided edge in the wrestling department, Cerrone’s skills in that department are extremely underrated, and the pairing would be an interesting contrast of styles.
There is a lot of the same energy working for Miller as well. The New Jersey native has been working tirelessly to regain the standing he once held in the lightweight divisional hierarchy, and his performance against Cerrone will determine if he makes that happen.
Where Miller once notched seven consecutive wins in less than two years, a rough patch where he won two out of four bouts with one no-contest served to cool off his momentum.
That said, the AMA-trained fighter has collected back-to-back victories as of late and is poised to put himself in a position where a title shot is certainly a possibility. If he gets by Cerrone on July 16, then a bout with Nurmagomedov for his next outing would make solid sense.
In a potential matchup between two solid wrestlers, it is often the other strengths the fighters possess that ultimately determine the outcome. Nurmagomedov would have the size and strength advantage in the fight, but Miller is a dangerous submission artist when the action hits the ground and has proven power when he is able to get inside on the opposition.
When sizing up a potential matchup between Nurmagomedov and Miller, the Whippany resident’s resiliency also needs to be taken into account. Miller has a gritty, blue-collar style and has the ability to remain dangerous late in the fight, keeping him in position to be a legitimate threat even if he’s fallen behind on the judges’ scorecards.
The Return of T.J. Grant
Another possible option for the undefeated lightweight’s next fight could materialize with the return of a fighter who was once poised for a title shot of his own in T.J. Grant. The Nova Scotia native has been a nightmare since dropping down from welterweight waters back in 2011, as he’s collected five consecutive victories in the lightweight division.
While any type of winning streak at the highest level of the sport is impressive, the type of destruction the Cole Harbour-based fighter has shown over his two most recent outings have catapulted him to the top of the heap at 155 pounds.
The gritty Canadian dismantled Matt Wiman at UFC on Fox 6 in January 2013, then drubbed former title challenger Gray Maynard four months later in Las Vegas. His victory over “The Bully” earned him a title shot against Benson Henderson in Milwaukee, but that is where Grant’s story takes a hard turn South.
During his preparation to face Henderson, Grant suffered a severe concussion that forced him out of his scheduled title fight. While most head injuries require solid recovery time, Grant’s layoff has been substantial as his time outside the Octagon is drawing close to the one-year mark.
He was supposed to get another shot at the title against new champion Anthony Pettis at UFC on Fox 9 last December, but Grant was yet to be medically cleared for the injury and was forced to remain on the sidelines. There has been a lot of shake-up in the weight class in his absence, and he will have to get at least one win before he can regain his title-challenger status.
Although there has yet to be a concrete date set for his return, a bout with Nurmagomedov is one that carries solid possibility. Where other fights on the lightweight docket have to play out in order to produce a potential opponent, booking Nurmagomedov versus Grant is one that could be made outright.
Both fighters have grappling-heavy styles, solid power and decent gas tanks in the cardio department. That said, Grant has been out of action for a while, and facing a fighter who has remained active and one who has been dominating the opposition over that stretch could be a tough pull for the Canadian.
Nevertheless, a pairing between Nurmagomedov and Grant would make sense in the grand scheme of the lightweight title picture and could be the direction the UFC decides to travel in the coming months.
Another possible option would be former title challenger Nate Diaz, but there is no telling when or where his next step will come in the lightweight mix.
Duane Finley is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report.
Sometimes, the path is pretty clear when it comes to matchmaking in the UFC. Sometimes, two dogs are snarling at each other through the chain link, and you’ve just got to put them together and let them hash it out.