Khabib Nurmagomedov is 24-0 in his professional MMA career. Despite having been riddled with various injuries in recent years, he has re-established himself as one of the top contenders in the lightweight division. A recent video released by the UFC shows the Russian telling UFC 205 opponent Michael Johnson to quit while peppering him with ground-and-pound attacks in the first round of their fight. He was also shown talking to UFC president Dana White in between rounds.
“You have to give up. I need to fight for the title. You know this. I deserve it,” Nurmagomedov was telling Johnson while battering him with strikes against the cage.
“Be careful, I’m gonna smash your boy,” he was also shown, addressing White about Conor McGregor while sitting on his stool before the second round.
After missing close to two years with various knee injuries, “The Eagle” returned last April to knockout Darrell Horcher at a UFC on Fox event. After his second win of 2016, he and Tony Ferguson, who is riding a nine-fight winning streak, have emerged as the top two contenders for the title now held by McGregor.
Following his victory at UFC 205, Nurmagomedov addressed the large Irish crowd at the Madison Square Garden, telling them that he wants to fight their “chicken” next. He also spoke extensively to the media backstage to make his case for a title fight.
With McGregor announcing that he and his girlfriend are expecting a child, and threatening the new UFC ownership that he will not be fighting unless he is given a stake in the company, it appears that Nurmagomedov’s title fight will have to wait.
Pundits have been mostly in agreement that a bout, instead, between Nurmagomedov and Ferguson is the lightweight matchup that makes the most sense while McGregor is on the shelf. Ferguson most recently handed former champion Rafael dos Anjos a thorough beating just a week before UFC 205.
