Tag: Khabib Nurmagomedov

Khabib Nurmagomedov Eyeing Bout with Anthony Pettis, Wants to ‘Smash’ Nate Diaz

To say Khabib Nurmagomedov is eager to return to his hunt for the UFC lightweight title is an understatement of drastic proportions.
The Eagle is flat-out fired up to get back into the Octagon, and his excitement increases daily as the date and opponen…

To say Khabib Nurmagomedov is eager to return to his hunt for the UFC lightweight title is an understatement of drastic proportions.

The Eagle is flat-out fired up to get back into the Octagon, and his excitement increases daily as the date and opponent for his return will soon be settled.

While there is yet to be a dance partner named for Nurmagomedov, the undefeated Dagestan-born phenom already has the ideal opponent in mind. The 26-year-old grappling ace wants to step in against recently dethroned former champion Anthony Pettis in a fight he believes every fight fan wants to see become a reality.

In addition to Nurmagomedov thinking Showtime would be the perfect opponent for his return bout, he also knows the date and event the bout should be slated on.

The UFC is set to return to Orlando, Florida, for UFC on Fox 17 on Dec. 19, and with the main event bout set to feature a 155-pound title clash between Rafael dos Anjos and Donald Cerrone, the Russian upstart is adamant that a bout with Pettis would not only make the card a perfect lightweight showcase, but his tilt with the Roufusport standout would steal the show.

“Anthony Pettis and I did have a conversation and we both want the fight,” Nurmagomedov told Bleacher Report. “I gave [an] interview before and [said] we [met] in a bus, and we did, but I don’t think it came out right. All the fighters there were going to a meeting and we all got on the bus to go there. Pettis and I sat down together and I asked him when he was going to come back. He told me the end of the year. I told him I could come back in October or November, but if the UFC [says], ‘You come back in December and fight Anthony Pettis,’ I can wait. 

“I think everyone will agree with me that a fight between Pettis and I would be the biggest fight in the lightweight division right now. This fight would be bigger than Cowboy vs. RDA because RDA [smashed] him before. If the UFC put me and Pettis in the co-main event in Orlando in December, I believe that would be the real main event fight for the fans. I don’t know what the UFC plans to do, but this is what I think the fans want.”

While Nurmagomedov has been sidelined with a series of injuries that forced him to withdraw from his highly anticipated bout against Donald Cerrone at UFC 187, the surging lightweight talent has remained active in his recovery.

Nurmagomedov has been diligent in his efforts to rehabilitate his knee while taking great care not to push his body too far. His ultimate goal is to get his hands on the 155-pound crown, but he is well aware of how injury has hampered his ability to do so.

Even though certain elements in the upper tier of the division have changed in his absence, Nurmagomedov believes he’s never been off of the radar with fight fans who support his push for a title shot.

Since his official UFC debut back in 2012, Nurmagomedov‘s support from the passionate fighting faithful has grown with each of his six showings inside the Octagon, and he’s confident he will give the MMA community even more to get behind when his return to action comes to fruition.

“I think I have a lot of fans because I am a real fighter,” Nurmagomedov said. “I am no fake. I’m an interesting fighter who came from Russia to compete in the U.S. and have smashed a lot of top guys. In my last UFC fight, I beat the guy who is now the lightweight champion. We will see what happens, but I think I will come back with a strong performance to end this year and next year I [will] take [the] belt.

“I was in the best shape of my life for my last fight with RDA, but after that fight, I got hurt and had two surgeries in a row back-to-back. I haven’t fought in a year-and-a-half and have been in recovery. During that time, RDA kept going and he beat a lot of top guys. I think he’s a different fighter now and I think a rematch between us would be a tougher fight, but I believe in myself to get the victory. I believe in my wrestling and pressure. I believe I can beat anyone in this division.

“I’m young, I’m strong and now I have good experience,” he added. “I smashed RDA and he has smashed all the top guys in the division. I’m very exciting in combat. I’m going to be very exciting when I come back and I’m going to come back stronger than before.”

While the Dagestani smashing machine has set his sights on a bout with Pettis, there is one fighter in particular he’d love to get his hands on in Nate Diaz.

The younger half of Stockton, California’s brotherly duo and Nurmagomedov have quarreled for more than a year across social media platforms, and that beef recently came live and in living color at a recent World Series of Fighting event.

The two fighters crossed paths, and words and hands were exchanged in what broke out into a full-blown brawl that was caught on cameras and uploaded to YouTube. The Diaz brothers were banned from attending future WSOF events and Nate took to Twitter to antagonize Nurmagomedov further in the aftermath.

While he knows a bout with Diaz wouldn’t do much for his push toward the lightweight title, Nurmagomedov wouldn’t miss out on the opportunity to get the former title challenger into the Octagon.

“If the UFC gives me that fight, I’m happy to do it because I want to smash this guy,” Nurmagomedov said. “I want to take him down, smash his face with hard elbows and knock him out. I have to teach this guy respect. He started a fight with me at [WSOF] and there were a lot of women and children in the crowd. We are professional fighters and we are supposed to stay professional. I know sometimes you get emotional, but you have to stay professional.

“If someone wants to punch you and wants to smash you, then you have to protect yourself and that’s why I [fought] with him at [the] show. In the arena, I told myself to stay calm and not to fight. I kept calm and professional, but the second time he started a fight, I went crazy too. It was me and my team and him and his, but after his team started running, a lot of police came. I didn’t start the fight. He started it, but I have to protect myself.

“I’m a professional fighter,” he added. “I’m a UFC fighter and I can kill someone in the street. I could do it easily if I had to, but we are supposed to be professional. The skills we know aren’t supposed to be used that way and that’s why we have to always be professional because this is very dangerous. If the UFC gives me the chance to fight him inside the Octagon, I will do it because he needs to be taught a lesson.”

 

Duane Finley is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. All quotes are obtained firsthand unless noted otherwise.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

Here Are Those Videos of Khabib Nurmagomedov and the Diaz Bros Brawling at WSOF 22

Although the Diaz brothers have always struck me as the epitome of professionalism and class both inside and out of the octagon, it appears that even the most mild-mannered personalities can come unglued from time to time.

Just moments prior to Rousimar Palhares proving his assholishness outright at WSOF 22 last weekend, the youngest of the brothers Diaz engaged in what I’m sure was a rousing debate about the current GOP race with fellow UFC lightweight Khabib Nurmagomedov — I’m guessing Diaz sided with the brash, incomprehensible arrogance of Donald Trump, whereas Khabib was more of a Chris Christie fan. In any case, this argument quickly escalated into an all-out brawl, with members of both crews exchanging haymakers before security could separate them. Then Nick Diaz threw a beer at Khabib, because hey, #Trump2016Bitch.

The majority of the scrap was caught on camera by MMAInterviews, but this being a Diaz brawl and all, you can rest assured that it spilled out into the Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino just moments later.

Videos after the jump. 

The post Here Are Those Videos of Khabib Nurmagomedov and the Diaz Bros Brawling at WSOF 22 appeared first on Cagepotato.

Although the Diaz brothers have always struck me as the epitome of professionalism and class both inside and out of the octagon, it appears that even the most mild-mannered personalities can come unglued from time to time.

Just moments prior to Rousimar Palhares proving his assholishness outright at WSOF 22 last weekend, the youngest of the brothers Diaz engaged in what I’m sure was a rousing debate about the current GOP race with fellow UFC lightweight Khabib Nurmagomedov — I’m guessing Diaz sided with the brash, incomprehensible arrogance of Donald Trump, whereas Khabib was more of a Chris Christie fan. In any case, this argument quickly escalated into an all-out brawl, with members of both crews exchanging haymakers before security could separate them. Then Nick Diaz threw a beer at Khabib, because hey, #Trump2016Bitch.

The majority of the scrap was caught on camera by MMAInterviews, but this being a Diaz brawl and all, you can rest assured that it spilled out into the Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino just moments later.

Videos after the jump. 

Well, that was surely something. Now let’s go to the fighters themselves for a post-brawl analysis. First up, Khabib:

Wow, what a well put and incredibly reasonable reaction Khabib! I’m sure Nate is equally apologetic for his unprofessionalism…

Well, I guess dropping a n-bomb in a fight between two white guys makes just as much sense.

As you might expect, WSOF VP Ali Abdel-Aziz has since banned both Diaz brothers from attending any future UFC events, stating:

I can’t have Nick and Nate come to a World Series of Fighting event again. I like these guys, but if they’re not going to show me respect coming to the show, how can I let them back in?

You’ve just got to be more professional in MMA. Nate and Nick, all the times I talk to them, they’re good guys, but they need to start making a (positive) impression. I know they sell better because they don’t care, but you’re going to make people not like you if you do stuff like that. I know they don’t care, it’s attention, fights, guys want to fight each other. But you know what, fight each other in the cage. It was disappointing, to be honest with you.

Aziz additionally stated that he saw Nate throw the first punch and that Khabib “is not the type of guy who starts a fight,” which in turn led to his decision.

So what did we learn this weekend? Ronda Rousey: Still the best. Rousimar Palhares: Still an asshole. The Diaz brothers: Still…..kill….

The post Here Are Those Videos of Khabib Nurmagomedov and the Diaz Bros Brawling at WSOF 22 appeared first on Cagepotato.

Khabib Nurmagomedov Details Melee with Nick Diaz’s Crew at WSOF 22

Words like “barn-burner” and “slobber-knocker” could be used to describe World Series of Fighting 22, and we’re not talking about the action inside the cage.
Mayhem and panic spilled onto the floor at Planet Hollywood Reso…

Words like “barn-burner” and “slobber-knocker” could be used to describe World Series of Fighting 22, and we’re not talking about the action inside the cage.

Mayhem and panic spilled onto the floor at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas on Saturday night, as a brawl erupted between UFC fighters Nick Diaz and Khabib Nurmagomedov.

Spencer Lazara of MMAinterviews caught the incident on tape.

Diaz can be seen chucking a drink in Nurmagomedov’s direction before being escorted from the event by security. According to Lazara’s video description, the incident all started with a brief exchange of words between Nurmagomedov and Nick’s younger brother, UFC fighter Nate Diaz:

Nick was calm even after Nate and Khabib had words. Then Martin Sano got up close to Khabib and paid for it with a clean right hand to the kisser. Bloody lip and all, he’s the one shown going back after Khabib briefly. Khabib hurt his hand a bit, licking it all night after. 2nd video is up of the chair flying melee outside the arena some 20 minutes later.

Sano is a good friend and training partner of both Diaz brothers. They were all on hand at the event in support of their teammate Jake Shields, who was scheduled to fight Rousimar Palhares for the WSOF welterweight title.

Nurmagomedov, on the other hand, was there to watch his brother Abubakar Nurmagomedov and teammate Islam Mamedov compete.

After the initial run-in, there were reports coming out that the Diaz brothers were “begging” Nurmagomedov to meet them in the parking lot.

The trash talking set the stage for MMA’s rendition of the Hunger Games. Round two of the melee happened outside the arena, and it was on a massive scale (warning: NSFW language).

According to Nurmagomedov in a social media post on Monday, Nate Diaz “started the verbal fight” and later began “swinging.” While he wouldn’t go into all of the details, he claimed the Diaz’s “ran” when things got serious.

There’s never a dull moment when it pertains to the Diaz brothers. Many of you may remember the infamous brawl in Nashville, Tennessee, during a Strikeforce event. Shields was in the middle of a post-fight interview when Jason “Mayhem” Miller ran into the cage uninvited. The incident quickly turned into a brawl, which resulted into three-month suspensions and fines.

Stay tuned to Bleacher Report as more news becomes available in this developing story.

 

Jordy McElroy is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. He also is the MMA writer for FanRag Sports and co-founder of The MMA Bros.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

Khabib Nurmagomedov Now Eyeing December Return, Still Wants Anthony Pettis

Khabib Nurmagomedov doesn’t want to rush things. After all, that’s why he’s on the shelf now. Following his second ACL repair in as many years, the UFC’s No. 3-ranked lightweight is now aiming for a December return to action.
That’s later than initial …

Khabib Nurmagomedov doesn’t want to rush things. After all, that’s why he’s on the shelf now. Following his second ACL repair in as many years, the UFC’s No. 3-ranked lightweight is now aiming for a December return to action.

That’s later than initial estimates of September or October, but Nurmagomedov said Wednesday in an exclusive interview with Bleacher Report that a doctor’s visit this week firmed up the timeline and he is taking extra caution to prevent additional injury.

He’ll resume full training soon with a goal of fighting before the end of the year.

“In one more month, they say I can begin hard training,” Nurmagomedov said. “I can’t wait. I can’t wait. This is really hard for me.”

The 26-year-old Nurmagomedov (22-0) said he hopes to return at UFC 194 on December 5 or at UFC on Fox 17 on December 19. His desired opponent? One Anthony Pettis, the former champion with whom Nurmagomedov has traded barbs on social media. He is also sidelined with an injury.

“I want me versus Pettis,” he said. “He’s still injured, I’m still injured. All my life, all my career, I say I want to fight the best. If I cannot fight for title, I still want to fight top guys.”

That title fight? It’s expected to take place between champ Rafael dos Anjos and challenger Donald Cerrone some time later this year. Nurmagomedov dismissed that contest based largely on the fact that he defeated Dos Anjos by decision in 2014. He was also briefly linked to a bout with Cerrone in fall 2014, but his initial knee injury derailed that.

“Dos Anjos vs. Cowboy? No,” Nurmagomedov said. “This is not a big fight. For me, it’s not interesting. I think me and Pettis, that’s the biggest fight, for sure.”

In the meantime, Nurmagomedov, who hails from the Dagestan region of Russia but regularly trains at the American Kickboxing Academy in California, is maintaining a light workload. After tearing his knee for the second time in April, according to AKA head coach Javier Mendez, Nurmagomedov returned to full training at “90 percent.” The knee “didn’t hold,” Mendez told Bloody Elbow, and it was re-injured.

As a result of the successive setbacks, Nurmagomedov has only fought three times in the past two years, icing a career that was just heating up.

Still, The Eagle seems positive and determined to learn from the experience.

“I’m just doing a lot of exercise, a lot of therapy, a lot of massage,” Nurmagomedov said. “I’ve had two surgeries in a row. I want to give myself more time. After I come back, I want to be back. I want to push myself.”

Scott Harris writes about MMA for Bleacher Report. For more stuff like this, follow Scott on Twitter. All quotes obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

Khabib Nurmagomedov Wants to Fight Anthony Pettis and Nate Diaz on Same Night

Just as there is no shortage of friction in the upper tier of the lightweight division, injuries are also prevalent at the elite level of the 155-pound fold. Khabib Nurmagomedov and Anthony Pettis have exchanged barbs in interviews and across social me…

Just as there is no shortage of friction in the upper tier of the lightweight division, injuries are also prevalent at the elite level of the 155-pound fold. Khabib Nurmagomedov and Anthony Pettis have exchanged barbs in interviews and across social media platforms over the past year, with trigger points for both being focused on the other fighter’s inability to remain healthy.

The undefeated Dagestan-born lightweight was forced to withdraw from his scheduled bout with Donald Cerrone at UFC 187 on May 23 due to suffering a knee injury, to which “Showtime” decided to pour the proverbial salt on the wound by suggesting karma was paying the young Russian back for his earlier slights in Pettis‘ direction.

Strangely enough, the Milwaukee native would pull out of his bout with Myles Jury at UFC on Fox 16 a short time later, as an elbow injury struck the former champion once again.

These turns prompted Nate Diaz to chime in on the matters at hand. Stockton’s most notable lightweight dogged “The Eagle” and Pettis for constantly pulling out of fights with injury. Diaz jumping in the mix only served to irk Nurmagomedov further, and he discussed his two rivals—and how he’d prefer to settle those feuds—during a recent visit on The MMA Hour, via Marc Raimondi of MMAFighting.com.

In the interview with Ariel Helwani, the American Kickboxing Academy standout was adamant about his willingness to face both Pettis and Diaz, and firm in his confidence he would emerge victorious in both matchups.

I can fight these guys both same night. These guys are easy money for me.

“Before all the time, I ask UFC, ‘Please give me Nate Diaz, please give me Anthony Pettis. But all the time these guys scared and no give answer to UFC. These guys no want fight before with me. But now these guys talk s–t, because I’m injured. Because I can’t fight now.

While Nurmagomedov is recovering from his knee injury and hopes to return in the fall, being forced to withdraw from his highly anticipated tilt against “Cowboy” created some serious backlash throughout the MMA community.

Prior to landing the fight with Cerrone, the 26-year-old contender had already been on the shelf for a lengthy stint as he recovered from injury, and another setback seemed to erase a good portion of the momentum he had in the lead-up to UFC 187.

Furthermore, Nurmagomedov‘s injury also brought criticism to his home gym as well. The San Jose-based outfit has been notoriously plagued by fighter injuries over the years, with UFC President Dana White lashing out at their approach during a recent interview with Setanta Sports, via Dave Meltzer of MMAFighting.com. While Nurmagomedov wasn’t willing to lend credence to that notion, he did tell Helwani he would be adjusting his training approach in the coming months.

Fans sometimes talk crazy, but it’s OK. I understand fans are a little bit upset, I’m upset too. I’m not happy. One year, I [don’t] fight. This is not good news for me, not good news for fans. I understand this.”

 “If you want to win, you need to go crazy. MMA every day is a high level, you need to be training hard, to push yourself. MMA all the time has injuries. Next time, I think I train a little bit more smart. I think this is very good experience for me.

Even though Nurmagomedov‘s return to the Octagon is still several months away, he’s already eyeing the potential opponents he will face when he receives a clean bill of health. While a rematch with current champion Rafael dos Anjos would be the ideal scenario, he knows the upcoming matchup between the Jackson/Winkeljohn-trained fighter and John Makdessi at UFC 187 has the potential to impact that situation tremendously.

That said, even if Nurmagomedov doesn’t receive a title shot upon his return, he’s made it clear a bout with Pettis or Diaz would be suitable as well.

 

Duane Finley is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. All quotes are obtained firsthand unless noted otherwise.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

The Week in Review: “Oh, F*ck My Life” Edition

(The Johnson vs. Cormier promo for UFC 187. We haven’t watched it yet, but drink if the word “monster” is used at any point.)

Afternoon, Nation. It’s been a hell of a week for our fine little sport, amiright? Some bad things happened, some other bad things happened, and depending on how you feel about Jon Jones, some either earth-shatteringly terrible or world-affirmingly wonderful things happened as well. So join us after the jump as we recap the week that was while trying not to cry into our whiskey drink. What? IT’S FRIDAY AND WE NEED THIS, NATION.

The post The Week in Review: “Oh, F*ck My Life” Edition appeared first on Cagepotato.


(The Johnson vs. Cormier promo for UFC 187. We haven’t watched it yet, but drink if the word “monster” is used at any point.)

Afternoon, Nation. It’s been a hell of a week for our fine little sport, amiright? Some bad things happened, some other bad things happened, and depending on how you feel about Jon Jones, some either earth-shatteringly terrible or world-affirmingly wonderful things happened as well. So join us after the jump as we recap the week that was while trying not to cry into our whiskey drink. What? IT’S FRIDAY AND WE NEED THIS, NATION.

-If the loss of Jones from UFC 187 wasn’t bad enough, the most stacked card since the FOX deal took another huge hit in the form of top lightweight contender Khabib Nurmagomedov — who was forced out of his #1 contender battle with Donald Cerrone due to a torn meniscus in an apparent “freak accident.” The Russian, who has not fought since defeating now-champion Rafael Dos Anjos in April of 2014, now faces another 4-6 month layoff and feels he attempted to come back from his original injury “too soon.” I…I just…

Sometimes it makes me sad, though…[UFC 187] being torn apart. I have to remind myself that some [cards] aren’t meant to be caged. Their [lineups] are just too bright. And when they [fall apart], the part of you that knows it was a sin to [book] them DOES rejoice. But still, the place you live in is that much more drab and empty that they’re gone. I guess I just miss my [sport].

-In slightly less depressing news, Cerrone will now face John Makdessi at UFC 187, who is fresh off a first round TKO over Shane Campbell at UFC 186.

-What else sucked this week? Oh, I guess Alexander Gustafsson being forced out of his Fight Night Berlin main event against Glover Teixeira fits that bill. If you’ll excuse me for a moment…

All better now.

With Gustafsson once again forced out of a Fight Night main event due to an undisclosed injury, women’s strawweight champion Joanna Jedrzejczyk will now face Jessica Penne for her first title defense. Penne was previously scheduled to face Brazilian Juliana De Lima Carneiro at Fight Night 67 next, but I guess a title shot makes just as much sense. Welcome to the show, babay!!!!!

-What else, what else. Well, we learned that Urijah Faber is an anti-vaxxer, so there’s something fun to chew on.

-Following their featured undercard scrap at UFC 186 which saw Patrick Cote defeat Joe Riggs via unanimous decision, Riggs has now more or less accused Cote of greasing. His exact words:

Ive been DQed for taking an oil bath the night before a fight so that when I started to sweat in the baby oil would slowly started coming out of my pores slowly. But the body is dry when they checked before they fight. Lol not saying he did that. But if he didn’t then he’s normally slippery as a oiled up dong!

“Slippery as a oiled up dong” sounds about as eloquent as I’d expect from a guy who once shot himself while cleaning his gun.

-In slightly more uplifting news, I guess, Melvin Guillard was granted release from his WSOF contract. If you recall, Guillard fought twice for the promotion last year, scoring a TKO over Gesias Cavalcante before dropping a decision to lightweight champion Justin Gaethje and missing weight on both occasions. Despite being blasted by WSOF President Ray Sefo for his unprofessionalism, we fully expect to see him back in the UFC before day’s end, what with their fighters dropping like flies and all.

-But because I believe there’s always a silver lining, I’m going to wrap things up by reminding us all that today marks the 15th anniversary of Kazushi Sakuraba vs. Royce Gracie, the most epic MMA fight of all time. Let’s all watch the entire thing together right now.

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