Interim title: Nurmagomedov Vs. Ferguson
According to reports, Nurmagomedov vs. Ferguson’s interim-UFC lightweight title bout is “90%” complete.
https://twitter.com/ZidanSports/status/809830941577318400
Report: Diaz offered interim title fight with Nurmagomedov
With Tony Ferguson appearing to drop out of UFC 209, Anna Jane Kesington reports that the interim title fight with Nurmagomedov has been offered to Diaz.
Nate Diaz has been offered an interim title fight with Khabib Nurmagomedov at UFC 209. The fight was originally offered to Tony Ferguson, but he was asking for too much money.
Mir: McGregor ‘wouldn’t last even a round’ with Nurmagomedov
Mir, a former two-time UFC heavyweight champion, says that the Russian MMA market is different to the USA, to McGregor’s benefit.
In the US a lot of people are more interested in the story behind what’s going on rather than what the fight is. I just think they watch the fight to see the result at the end. It’s an afterthought more than it is a primary drive, whereas you go to other places, especially like Russia where fighting is actually a passion not necessarily just ‘who-hates-who’. That’s why Conor McGregor does so well. He’s a good fighter but let’s face it: if Khabib [Nurmagomedov] and him face off, I wouldn’t bet on Conor to last even past a round. But he makes more money than Khabib because he has such a great mouth…Khabib has stayed true to his character, he’s a softly-spoken guy and I think he does all his talking with his fists and he’s not getting title shots and he’s not getting talked about in the US media as much. A guy who is 24-0, amongst the fighters we know he’s probably the best guy really in the world at lightweight. I don’t think anybody questions his ability to destroy guys and how powerful he is. But ESPN isn’t knocking his door down to give him interviews and he’s not doing commercials, Conor is…Conor’s making millions of dollars fighting and so I think Khabib now sees that and realizes he needs to start talking more. And here, he goes out and destroys Michael Johnson in his last fight [and] made him look like he shouldn’t even be in the top ten.
White: McGregor-Nurmagomedov fight could be next
White says McGregor and Nurmagomedov could be the next lightweight fight. Currently, Nurmagomedov and Tony Ferguson are in discussions to fight for the interim lightweight title in McGregor’s absence, but nothing is official yet.
We’re focused very heavily on Russia right now. First of all, there’s tons of talent coming out of Russia, and a lot of fans. There’s a fighter named Khabib who’s from Russia, and he’s insanely popular. The next fight could be Conor vs. Khabib.
Rogan: McGregor will fight Nurmagomedov next
Rogan says McGregor will fight Nurmagomedov next.
The UFC is about to go to Russia. They want to get in there. Conor McGregor versus Khabib Nurmagomedov, that’s what I think is up. Giant!
Joe Rogan Predicts Conor McGregor's Next Fight https://t.co/YyyyXVsGFZ
— Conor McGregor News (@ConormcGregor5) December 27, 2016
Nurmagomedov: UFC hiding McGregor, wants Ferguson fight
After Dana White says Nurmagomedov will not fight Ferguson (due to money issues) and that the Russian fighter’s father had turned down a bout with Jose Aldo, Nurmagomedov says the UFC is hiding McGregor from him, and asks to fight Ferguson.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BOnVl_aj2Y1/
Nurmagomedov offers to pay $200K of Ferguson’s purse
Nurmagomedov says that if the UFC won’t pay enough, he will boost Ferguson’s purse with $200,000 of his own money.
Hey @TonyFergusonXT if the @ufc don't want to pay you I'll pay you 200k extra on your purse let's make this fight now you have no excuse
— khabib nurmagomedov (@TeamKhabib) January 2, 2017
Nurmagomedov wants to fight McGregor in Moscow
Nurmagomedov says he wants to fight McGregor in Russia.
I want to beat Tony Ferguson, take interim bullshit belt, and after, fight with Conor for the real belt. I am famous in Russia and, we have to say, Conor is famous in Russia too. If UFC make a promotional tour all over the world, like Rio de Janeiro, Las Vegas, New York, Toronto, London, Moscow, Tokyo, everywhere, you know, make this PR programme…And, after this, UFC give me and Conor three months for preparing and make this 80,000 arena in Moscow – I think 100 per cent we can sell all these tickets. If I fight with Conor, I think the UFC makes this in New York or Vegas. Russia – not good for pay-per-view. Ireland – not good for pay-per-view.
Russian MMA fighter shot, beaten and choked in ‘row over Conor McGregor’
Mirzaev, a Russian fighter with 17 wins out of 18 contests, is ambushed as he left his home in Moscow on New Year’s Eve. He is shot three times with a high-powered BB gun, including once in the face, in Moscow, as well as being beaten with a baseball bat and choked with a chain. Items were also stolen from his house. Mirzaev is in a stable condition after surgery to remove the bullets. According to a source, the argument got started when Mirzaev was in a club with Lobov, who trains with McGregor. The fighters were taunted by men from Dagestan in southern Russia who said McGregor was afraid to face undefeated Dagestani fighter Nurmagomedov. Nightclub staff stopped a full-blown brawl but the men “decided to finish the job” and were “waiting at his house”. However Lobov, denies the claims and the attack remains under police investigation:
I did meet [Mirzaev] in Russia. I am so shocked that this happened to him but [it’s] nothing to do with me.
Nurmagomedov: McGregor ‘just a good boxer’
Nurmagomedov says he doesn’t rate McGregor as a good overall fighter and he wins by taking fights that suit his style.
About athlete, about like phenomenal fighter, I don’t think [McGregor] is. He’s just a good boxer and he all the time takes fights, you know, like a good style (for him). Like Eddie Alvarez and Jose Aldo – like this.
Nurmagomedov: All McGregor does is party and make excuses
Nurmagomedov criticizes McGregor’s lifestyle.
@TheNotoriousMMA and conor says he's having a baby when all he does is go to clubs and party excuse after excuse @danawhite @seanshelby
— khabib nurmagomedov (@TeamKhabib) January 9, 2017
Ferguson vs. Nurmagomedov for interim lightweight title confirmed for UFC 209
White announces that Ferguson will fight Nurmagomedov for the interim lightweight title at UFC 209 on March 4. At one point Nurmagomedov vs. Ferguson seemed as if it was off the table, with Nurmagomedov claiming he was moving on from Ferguson who — according to White — was asking for too much money. It’s understood that Ferguson and the promotion came to a middle ground.
Khabib Nurmagomedov vs Tony Ferguson for the interim LW title on March 4 at UFC 209!!! pic.twitter.com/oJwvlDl4eX
— danawhite (@danawhite) January 13, 2017
Danis: McGregor will ‘pick Nurmagomedov apart’
Danis comments on a potential fight between Nurmagomedov and McGregor, in the event that Nurmagomedov beats Tony Ferguson at UFC 209 in March.
[Khabib’s] too easily hit. If you saw in the Michael Johnson fight, he was getting like wobbled and rocked every time they were on the feet. So Conor is going to pick him apart like he does all the wrestlers. He hits you from everywhere and he kicks you in the stomach. And people don’t see those shots on TV, like some of those deep kicks and some of the kicks to the stomach, but those take the wind out of you. And when you basically have to take someone down, it puts a different kind of feeling in your stomach ad in your gut when you have to take the guy down. The guy’s beating you up on the feet, and when you go to the ground he’s elbowing you. So I think Conor puts him away in probably one or two rounds with strikes.
Ferguson: McGregor will get his ‘ass kicked’ by Mayweather
Ferguson says he’s frustrated by McGregor holding up the division.
It’s for an interim title. It should be for the real shit. Am I little pissed about it? Yeah. Is Conor going to defend his belt? Little shit. Probably not. He’s going to run. Go ahead. Go run. Go try to box so you can get your ass kicked, too, then when you’re ready to come back they’re going to strip your belt. At 155, I’m going to be holding that and you’re going to be like ‘oh I want my belt back’. I don’t give a f-ck. This is the real fight. The fight’s between Khabib and Ferguson. That’s the real deal fight…Honestly I could give two shits about it. He’s got his family, he’s got his things, he’s got his hands full. He’s a grown-ass man, he can handle his own shit. Same thing with me. I’m here to kick everybody’s ass in this division. I’m not going to excuse anybody of an ass whooping.
Nurmagomedov: Ferguson tougher than McGregor
Nurmagomedov says McGregor is holding up the division, and that Ferguson is a stronger opponent.
Because he never defends his belts. He never [defended] his Cage Warriors belts, never defended his featherweight belt, and now UFC lightweight, I don’t think is different. But he has to defend. We’ll see. I don’t think about this too much. I think about Tony and March 4. This is the biggest fight in my life…I feel Tony’s tougher than Conor. Because if I take [Conor] down, fight finished. If I take down Tony, we have to fight. Take down Conor, what’s he going to do? His condition is very bad. His spirit, his heart is small. I think Tony’s tougher than Conor.
Nurmagomedov: No McGregor rematch, but will loan him money
Nurmagomedov says that once he beats McGregor there will be no rematch, and he also says he will give McGregor a loan if he needs it.
After I finish [Ferguson], then Conor and after I finish Conor, UFC will maybe want to make rematch. But I say, ‘No, calm down. You have to stand in line.’ I came to the UFC to fight with top-level fighters and become the undisputed, undefeated champion. This is my goal. A lot of people fight with [McGregor] because of money. I can give him money if he needs money.
Nurmagomedov coach: McGregor calls the shots in the UFC
Coach Mendez says that even if Nurmagomedov beats Tony Ferguson, McGregor may choose not to fight him.
You never know – Conor may decide that he wants to go to the welterweight division and challenge for that title. We’ve yet to see if Khabib wins against Tony, whether that fight will materialise. It’s gonna be what Conor wants. He’s in a position where he calls the shots. If Conor says, ‘I wanna fight Khabib’ – OK, fine. If Conor says, ‘I wanna fight Woodley or Thompson’ then that’s what’s gonna happen. Conor knows what he’s doing. He’s the boss so right now he’s in control…Ideally we would all like to see Conor and Khabib fight if Khabib gets by Tony. But that might not be in Conor’s plans.
As for McGregor’s skills:
Stylistically Tony is by far the tougher fighter. Conor poses a stand-up threat, poses no threat on the ground. Tony poses a threat everywhere. And for Conor, Tony poses a lot of dangers too. Tony is a very dangerous customer.
Nurmagomedov to McGregor: ‘I am the Mayweather of MMA’
Nurmagomedov taunts McGregor.
Conor has to be careful because I’m going to smash Tony Ferguson and after I’m going to smash Conor McGregor. I think after this one, people will begin to forget about this guy. But now, everybody talks about him, but it’s okay. For me, it’s okay. I don’t care about him, I only want to fight for the title. This is what I want. I don’t care about conor or Floyd Mayweather. Floyd Mayweather is one of the greatest boxers, but I think I am the Floyd Mayweather of mma. I am 24-0, I can be 26-0 — 10-0 in the UFC — undefeated and undisputed UFC lightweight champion. I want to become the greatest lightweight ever. This is what I want.
McGregor: Nurmagomedov and Ferguson are ‘bums’
During his interview at An Evening with.., in Manchester, McGregor dismisses any threat from Ferguson or Nurmagomedov.
Not a whisper about that one. But business is business. You’ve got to create [attention], because the two guys who are fighting for that interim belt are bums. I always look at the game, the fight game in the UFC, and sometimes I wonder to myself why it’s never broken through to that next level, why no one before me has ever gotten to that next level. Because they’re all dogshit. They’re sloppy, messy, chinny. It’s not pretty to look at, and it’s the same with these two clowns. Two bums fighting for an interim belt. They should be very happy that I’m chilling now, taking a break, and they have this little chance to think that they’re up there. But in reality, they’re nowhere close. They both would be knocked out stiff. Both chinny, both wild, too sloppy…F*ck them all. F*ck every one of them.
Nurmagomedov: ‘I don’t give a shit about McGregor’
At a Q&A session at the National Restaurant in New York City. Nurmagomedov talks about his potential opponents, including McGregor.
I don’t give a shit about Conor. I think only about the belt…“Let’s go. Make not only him humble but all of Ireland.