Tony Ferguson and Khabib Nurmagomedov are reportedly set to face off at UFC 223 on April 7 in New York at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center.
There’s been much uncertainty surrounding the upcoming lightweight bout between interim champion Tony Ferguson and Khabib Nurmagomedov.
UFC brass Dana White mentioned previously that Ferguson and Nurmagomedov would fight for the ‘undisputed’ title but didn’t reveal whether Conor McGregor, the official lightweight champ, would be stripped of the belt.
Khabib Nurmagomedov coach Ali Abdel-Aziz said Tony might never fight again after UFC 223 and he is concerned for his well being. (Via MMAFighting)
“I feel sorry for Tony Ferguson, because on April 7, Tony Ferguson is probably never gonna fight again,” Abel-Aziz said. “I’m concerned for his well-being, I’m serious. I’m not just saying that to promote a fight. I’m concerned for him. I’m hearing some reports — and I respect Eddie Bravo, he’s a legend — I’m hearing that he’d accept, he’d be more than happy for Khabib to take him down. And I’ll tell you something … he’s not gonna be a normal human being. He’ll be in trouble. Because if he accepts takedown from Khabib and he will take him down, he will disfigure his whole entire face.”
Tony Ferguson won an interim title when he submitted Kevin Lee in the third round of the main event at UFC 216 back in October. Meanwhile, Khabib Nurmagomedov is coming off an impressive destruction of Edson Barboza by unanimous decision at UFC 219.
This is not the first time the two have been booked for a fight. Ferguson and Nurmagomedov were originally set to fight in December 2015, but Nurmagomedov was forced to withdraw with an injury. Again Khabib was supposed to face Ferguson at UFC 209 back in March 2017 but had to be rushed to the hospital the day before the scheduled bout due to a bad weight cut.
“It’s gonna be brutal, it’s gonna be ugly, it’s gonna be bloody,” Abdel-Aziz said. “Because Khabib was very nice to Barboza, he was very nice to Michael Johnson. But I’m telling you something. One thing that Khabib is not gonna do, he’s not gonna be nice to Tony Ferguson. My prediction: Tony Ferguson will probably need to take two years off or maybe not come back after this fight.”
Manager Abdel-Aziz said, he is a bit concerned as UFC didn’t strip the Conor Mcgregor of the belt and made Ferguson an undisputed light champion. Moreover, Khabib Nurmagomedov’s team have legit fear about what could happen if the UFC 223 fight doesn’t come to materialization. Recently Eddie Alvarez explained his theory why he is ready for replacement in case Ferguson or Khabib pull out of UFC 223.
“Tony Ferguson is getting played left and right,” Abdel-Aziz said. “I kind of feel bad for Tony Ferguson. Tony Ferguson is getting played. He is — by every body. By the UFC, by his team, by every body. He’s getting played.”
Abdel-Aziz believes Khabib is going to whoop ass Tony Ferguson on April 7 and he may not fight again.
“The stuff they’re working on — they send me the video every night — f*cking scary, man,” Abdel-Aziz said. “I’m concerned about Tony Ferguson, because I think Tony Ferguson is a nice guy.
“I’m concerned — again, one more time — I really mean it. I’m concerned with Tony Ferguson’s health. He will not be the same. He might not fight again.”
Who do you think will manage to come out victorious at UFC 223?
