Khabib Nurmagomedov News

Tom Taylor - September 5, 2017

On October 7, in the main event of UFC 216, Tony Ferguson and Kevin Lee will collide for the UFC interim lightweight title. The announcement of this fight, of course, came as a bit of a surprise, as any interim lightweight title fight was expected to involve undefeated Dagestani star Khabib Nurmagomedov. Apparently, however, the UFC was not interested in booking Ferguson vs. Nurmagomedov – perhaps due to Nurmagomedov’s unfortunately long history of withdrawing from fights.

Justin Golightly - August 31, 2017

Don’t tell Khabib Nurmagomedov that it’s looking like Nate Diaz will get the next shot at Conor McGregor. After once again missing out on a fight with Tony Ferguson for the interim UFC lightweight title, he’s decided to skip that match-up altogether. After all, why fight for an interim belt if you can fight for the real thing? McGregor said a fight with Khabib in Russia was on his radar and Dana White has mentioned it too, now Nurmagomedov is ready to cash in on the talk. https://twitter.com/SecretMovesMMA/status/901698604414459905

Justin Golightly - August 31, 2017

Kevin Lee has quietly stacked up five straight wins, finishing four of those opponents. Fingers crossed that the card stays together, UFC 216 will push Lee into his highest profile bout yet. He’s going to headline the card against Tony Fergusonin a fight for the interim UFC lightweight title. Ferguson has already been vocal about what he’s going to do to Kevin Lee, mainly choke him until he slowly fades away into darkness. No kidding, he really said that. Of course, Lee disagreed and doubled down with the guys over at Submission Radio that he’s going to destroy Ferguson like a former Pride and UFC veteran, Quinton Jackson. “I mean, [Tony Ferguson] tries to finish everybody with that weak-ass D’arce choke. I mean, apparently the man believes in it, but he ain’t never faced nobody like me. He’s never faced a wrestler like me. He’s never faced somebody with the movement that I’ve had, especially a weak-ass D’arce choke. And look, if he gonna go for that D’arce, I’m gonna pick him up over my head and I’m gonna Rampage his ass.”

Tom Taylor - August 21, 2017

Earlier this month, we learned that top lightweight contender Tony Ferguson will battle Kevin Lee – not undefeated Russian star Khabib Nurmagomedov – for UFC interim lightweight gold at UFC 216. Given Ferguson and Nurmagomedov’s rivalry and shared status as the two best lightweights not named Conor McGregor, this news came as a bit of a surprise. In the opinion of Lee, however, the reasons for this fight are pretty simple. “We can cut the bullshit – [Nurmagomedov’s] just being a bitch about it,” Lee recently told MMAjunkie Radio. “He just doesn’t want to fight. Bottom line, he doesn’t want to fight.”

Russell Ess - August 18, 2017

With the announcement that Tony Ferguson and Kevin Lee will be fighting at UFC 216 for the UFC lightweight interim title, Khabib Nurmagomedov will be on the sideline preparing for his return to the Octagon.

Russell Ess - August 16, 2017

News erupted on Tuesday when UFC President Dana White announced that Tony Ferguson and Kevin Lee will be fighting for the UFC interim lightweight title at UFC 216. Many were wondering what happened to the #1 UFC ranked lightweight contender Khabib Nurmagomedov. White addressed the question regarding “The Eagle” when he revealed the fight between Ferguson and Lee and said that Nurmagomedov simply isn’t ready to return to competition yet.

Tom Taylor - August 16, 2017

The reason Dana White gave for Ferguson vs. Lee was that Nurmagomedov wasn’t ready. This was him yesterday. #UFC216 https://t.co/lQQbSVoNyJ pic.twitter.com/j5u3ODg5r6 — Chamatkar Sandhu (@SandhuMMA) August 16, 2017

Tom Taylor - August 16, 2017

Last night, we learned that top lightweight contender Tony Ferguson would be fighting Kevin Lee – not the undefeated Khabib Nurmagomedov – for the UFC interim lightweight title at UFC 216 this October 7. Unsurprisingly, this news was not particularly well received by Nurmagomedov’s team. Speaking on his Russian social media account, Nurmagomedov’s father and long-time coach Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov criticized this newly-announced booking.

Tom Taylor - August 9, 2017

Yesterday afternoon, top lightweight contenders Tony Ferguson and Khabib Nurmagomedov agreed to a fight this November 4, at UFC 217, inside New York City’s hallowed Madison Square Garden. MSG Sounds Nice To Me. Get Ready For An Ass Whoopin’ @TeamKhabib#TonyFergusonMMA#SnapDownCity

Chris Taylor - July 24, 2017

Undefeated lightweight contender Khabib Nurmagomedov will not be fighting Tony Ferguson at October’s UFC 216 event in Las Vegas. TSN Sports Aaron Bronsteter tweeted out the following information earlier today explaining that the Russian sensation was offered an interim lightweight title fight with Tony Ferguson at UFC 216, but ultimately turned it down so that he could have more time to prepare.

Russell Ess - July 18, 2017

We have not seen current #1 UFC ranked lightweight Khabib Nurmagomedov compete since November of last year where he defeated Michael Johnson by submission in the third round. “The Eagle” was scheduled to fight #2 ranked lightweight Tony Ferguson in a UFC interim lightweight title fight at UFC 209 in March. However, Nurmagomdeov suffered weight management medical issues hours before the UFC 209 weigh-ins and was taken to a hospital and the interim title fight was canceled. Since the mishap, Khabib has stated that he has been recovering from his medical issues suffered in March and was aiming to fight Ferguson first and then Conor McGregor in the Winter. McGregor has stated that a fight with Nurmagomedov in his home country of Russia is something that has his interest after his mega money fight with Floyd Mayweather in August.

Russell Ess - July 17, 2017

There are a lot of people speculating that Conor McGregor will not be fighting in the UFC after he receives his massive payday from the boxing match against Floyd Mayweather. Even UFC President Dana White isn’t sure if “The Notorious” will walk away from fighting after August 26.

Russell Ess - June 26, 2017

.@tonyfergusonXT has a message for @TeamKhabib following his challenge to Tony from rehab. #ShotsFired #StrongWords pic.twitter.com/jp0pm1o8g2 — FOX Sports: UFC (@UFCONFOX) June 26, 2017

bjpenndotcom - June 23, 2017

UFC lightweight #1 contender Khabib Nurmagomedov has been absent from the Octagon since his UFC 205 win over Michael Johnson, where he cemented his place as the lightweight #1 contender on the UFC’s official lightweight rankings. Following the fight, Nurmagomedov was booked to fight #2 ranked lightweight Tony Ferguson in a highly anticipated interim lightweight title fight that would see the winner fight Conor McGregor for the undisputed title when the Irish superstar returned to the Octagon. Unfortunately for Nurmagomedov, he was taken to the emergency room the night before weigh-ins, and was ultimately pulled from the fight.

bjpenndotcom - June 17, 2017

Saturday morning, American fight fans tuned into UFC Fight Pass for a highly anticipated morning of fights in Singapore, headlined by a women’s bantamweight showdown between Holly Holm and Bethe Correia. On the main card however, former UFC lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos picked up a unanimous decision win over Tarec Saffiedine in his UFC welterweight debut. The win over Saffiedine was a much needed one for dos Anjos, who was riding a 2-fight skid going into his welterweight debut that saw him drop a 1st round TKO to Eddie Alvarez to lose the lightweight title nearly a year ago before then dropping a unanimous decision to Tony Ferguson. Following Dos Anjos’ win over Saffiedine, UFC lightweight #1 contender Khabib Nurmagomedov called for a fight between Dos Anjos and top ranked welterweight Jorge Masvidal:

Tom Taylor - May 23, 2017

If things had unfolded just a little bit differently back in February, Khabib Nurmagomedov could be wearing UFC interim lightweight gold right now. He was, after all, scheduled for an interim lightweight title fight with fellow star Tony Ferguson. Unfortunately, Nurmagomedov was forced out of this planned collision with Ferguson after he was hospitalized due to a botched weight cut. Left without an opponent at the last minute, Ferguson was then also forced off the card.

Tom Taylor - April 24, 2017

Over the weekend, when the UFC touched down in Nashville, Tennessee, two-time flyweight title challenger John Dodson picked up a nice, decision win over former bantamweight title challenger Eddie Wineland. With this win, he reestablished himself as one of the bantamweight division’s elite players, and set himself up for some more big fights in the division. Apparently, however, Dodson has had a very difficult time finding willing dance partners of late. “When I put people to sleep, no one wants to fight me,” Dodson said post-fight (via MMAFighting.com). “When I fight intelligently, no one still wants to fight me. I don’t know what they want me to do.”

Tom Taylor - April 21, 2017

During a recent visit to beautiful Moscow, Russia, former UFC welterweight champion and upcoming middleweight title challenger Georges St-Pierre spoke to RT Sport on a number of MMA-related topics. Perhaps the most interesting comment this interview produced occurred when St-Pierre was asked about Russian fighters. This question prompted him to praise undefeated UFC lightweight Khabib Nurmagomedov as one of the best pound-for-pound fighters on earth – if not the best outright. “I think actually one of the best pound-for-pound in the world, maybe the best pound-for-pound in the world, is Khabib Nurmagomedov,” St-Pierre said. “I always said it. For me, he’s probably the best pound-for-pound. Unfortunately, I believe people don’t give him enough credit. Maybe because he’s not American, he’s not someone who talks a lot of trash like Conor McGregor, he’s someone who’s very respectful, he doesn’t make a lot of noise by talking. But the same thing, like I said before about me, is that the resume speaks by itself. You know, the guy’s undefeated, he beat everybody. I’m just sad that the fight with [Tony] Ferguson didn’t happen, because it would have been an amazing fight.