Khabib Nurmagomedov moved to 25-0 in his MMA career with a crushing victory over Brazilian striker Edson Barboza in the co-main event at UFC 219 on December 30.
Khabib just kept delivering the fight through the succeeding rounds until he was able to pick up a dominant decision victory, with scorecards of 30-25, 30-25 and 30-24.
Nurmagomedov isn’t messing around making his next intention known.
While Speaking at the UFC 219 post-fight press conference, Nurmagomedov gave his thoughts on both Conor “Notorious” McGregor and Tony “El Cucuy” Ferguson, and how he matches up against them.
“Real belt is 25-0,” Nurmagomedov said (h/t MMAFighting.com). “This is real belt. They’re all fake belts. To be honest, real belt is Tony Ferguson. Conor, he has only one fight in UFC at 155 and he have champion. He beat Eddie Alvarez. He’s good fighter, but he’s not champ. I think lot of people can beat him in 155. This is my opinion. I think lot of people can beat him at 155. He has good boxing, good timing, but he don’t have wrestling, he don’t have grappling, he don’t have conditioning, but he have a belt.”
“If I fight with Conor, his chance is with boxing, maybe [for a] couple minutes I think,” Nurmagomedov continued, going in-depth on a possible showdown with the superstar McGregor. “But worry if I’m wrestling with him all the time. Don’t striking with him. Protect myself, movement, change angles. Show him takedown, box, change levels like Cain Velasquez does. But we have lot of way. I can stay with my opponent, I can grappling with my opponent, my conditioning is better my wrestling is good.”
Kahbib was sick of the top lightweights – namely McGregor and Ferguson – talking about him while he was injured and avoiding him when he was truly healthy like he clearly is now.
“When I’m injured, these guys talk. When I’m here, where are they?”
UFC brass Dana White recently said he is hoping to have McGregor defend his title by next year of summer. If thats the scene, White said a title unification bout against Ferguson would be the fight to make.
But, if McGregor, who made a rumored $100 million for his boxing match against Floyd Mayweather doesn’t return, no one in their right mind would complain about a fight between and Nurmagomedov and Ferguson.
Share your opinion who Khabib should fight next Conor Mcgregor or Tony Ferguson?
