Nurmagomedov: ‘4 Minutes To Smash McGregor’ And ’15 Easy Minutes’ Against Cerrone – Exclusive

UFC lightweight Khabib Nurmagomedov is currently undefeated at 22-0 with wins over Gleison Tibau, Pat Healy and perhaps now, most notably, the new UFC lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos. In fact, Dos Anjos was Numagomedov’s most recent win, taking place in April of last year, before suffering an injury that has kept him sidelined since.

He is now set to make his return against another lightweight who’s on a tear, Donald ‘Cowboy’ Cerrone, at UFC 187 taking place on May 23.

The Russian fighter recently spoke with BJPENN.COM reporter Layzie The Savage about his upcoming fight with Cerrone and a few other big names.

Of course, currently in the MMA world, a lot of attention is being paid to UFC featherweight Conor McGregor who is preparing to fight Jose Aldo for the title. McGregor has mentioned on several occasions that he plans on switching divisions at some point and could see himself fighting at lightweight.

“I like Conor McGregor but he come 155, four-minute smash him, no problem,” said Nurmagomedov, “–I like him, I think he can beat Jose Aldo, maybe finish him. A lot of people think Jose Aldo beat him but my opinion, I think he kill him. But if he come 155, welcome.”

Fighters and fans seem to be split on McGregor’s excessive trash talking. Some think it’s exciting and entertaining while others tend to roll their eyes and shrug it off as a publicity stunt. Nurmagomedov doesn’t have a problem with it and seems to think that he’s earned the right to talk.

“I don’t know. His trash talk is not bad, he know how to make money and everything and he 5-0 in the UFC, four finish and you know, these guys no easy money. But if he come 155, (smacks elbow) welcome, no problem.”

Nurmagomedov has been doing a lot of his own trash talking leading up to his upcoming fight with Cerrone but insist that when the time comes for the cage doors to be closed, he’ll be ready to back it up.

“Now I come back after my big surgery and for me very important to come back very strong and I can’t wait when cage close. I know Donald Cerrone training in New Mexico, training with him a lot of Russian fighters and he know Russian fighters very tough–very good wrestling, very good mental and he understand, now he have very tough opponent. When cage close, I am ready.”

And how does he see the fight going?

“I think I dominate,” he quickly answered,“He have only lucky punch. I think I dominate and I have very good gameplan and now – seven week before fight– seven hard week, no easy week, and when I go in cage this is fifteen easy minutes for me.”

By: Ryan C. Miller | @ryancmiller1630

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