Khabib Nurmagomedov News
Khabib Nurmagomedov responds to accusations that he pulled out of UFC 249
Tom Taylor - April 2, 2020
UFC lightweight champ Khabib Nurmagomedov will not be leaving his native Russia to fight Tony Ferguson at UFC 249 on April 18. Since Nurmagomedov announced this decision, many members of the MMA community — including Ferguson and Conor McGregor — have accused him of bailing on the fight.
Conor McGregor reacts to Khabib Nurmagomedov withdrawing from Tony Ferguson fight
Tom Taylor - April 2, 2020
You knew this was coming. Former two-division UFC champ Conor McGregor has now reacted to his arch rival, UFC lightweight champ Khabib Nurmagomedov, withdrawing from his planned April 18 title fight with Tony Ferguson. In his response to this headline-dominating Twist, McGregor targeted both Nurmagomedov and Ferguson.
Manager: Answers about Khabib Nurmagomedov withdrawal are coming
Natasha Hooper - April 2, 2020
Khabib Nurmagomedov’s manager Ali Abdelaziz believes fans will soon have all the answers regarding his fighter’s apparent withdrawal from UFC 249. The undefeated champion, Nurmagomedov was expected to defend his title against Tony Ferguson in the main event of UFC 249 on April 18. The final card and location are yet to be finalised due to the ongoing coronavirus. The situation was complicated further as Khabib Nurmagomedov was stranded in his home country of Russia due to a nationwide travel ban.
Tony Ferguson explains why he hasn’t accepted a new opponent for UFC 249
Harry Kettle - April 2, 2020
Tony Ferguson has explained why he has not officially said yes to a new opponent yet for UFC 249 after Khabib Nurmagomedov’s withdrawal. There’s still a great deal of uncertainty in the air regarding whether or not UFC 249 is going to happen, with the increasingly prevalent opinion being that the whole thing should just be called off in the name of protecting the health of everyone involved.
Tony Ferguson says only two men are worthy of "ass whooping" at UFC 249
Chris Taylor - April 1, 2020
Dustin Poirier confident Justin Gaethje would beat Khabib Nurmagomedov & Tony Ferguson
Cole Shelton - April 1, 2020
Dustin Poirier believes Justin Gaethje would beat both Khabib Nurmagomedov and Tony Ferguson in potential fights. Nurmagomedov and Ferguson were expected to fight at UFC 249 on April 18 but the champ withdrew due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Ferguson called for “The Eagle” to be stripped, but could also fight Justin Gaethje on that card.
Tony Ferguson believes Khabib Nurmagomedov "should be stripped" of belt after withdrawing from UFC 249
Cole Shelton - April 1, 2020
Tony Ferguson believes Khabib Nurmagomedov should be stripped of his lightweight title after withdrawing from UFC 249. On April 18, Ferguson and Nurmagomedov were expected to finally fight for the undisputed lightweight title in Brooklyn, New York. Yet, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Nurmagomedov is stuck in Russia and earlier today announced he would be off the card. For “El Cucuy” he believes that means the champ should be stripped of his belt.
Tony Ferguson reacts after Khabib Nurmagomedov officially withdraws from UFC 249
Natasha Hooper - April 1, 2020
Tony Ferguson has reacted to Khabib Nurmagomedov’s apparent withdrawal from UFC 249. Multiple UFC events have been postponed due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. However, Dana White has been putting in his best efforts to ensure UFC 249 on April 18 still takes place. The event was scheduled to feature lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov defend his belt against Tony Ferguson. The pair have been booked to throw down four times in the past, yet none of those proposed bouts ever came to fruition.
Khabib Nurmagomedov seemingly pulls plug on Ferguson fight: "Put yourself in my shoes"
Tom Taylor - April 1, 2020
Khabib Nurmagomedov is seemingly — and understandably — reluctant to fight at UFC 249 as the coronavirus pandemic continues to sweep the planet. Nurmagomedov, the UFC lightweight champ, was expected to fight Tony Ferguson on the April 18 card. Unfortunately, new travel bans have made it difficult for him to leave his native Russia to participate in the fight — though it could still be possible.
Coach hints that Conor McGregor could be Tony Ferguson's next opponent
Tom Taylor - March 31, 2020
With UFC lightweight champ Khabib Nurmagomedov stuck in Russia due to new COVID-19 travel restrictions, his would-be opponent Tony Ferguson must make a decision: wait to fight Nurmagomedov when the pandemic subsides, or fight somebody else in the meantime. John Kavanagh, the coach behind Conor McGregor, seems to be hoping Ferguson goes the latter route. On Tuesday, ESPN reporter Ariel Helwani posted a poll on Twitter, asking fans if they’d prefer to see Ferguson wait to fight Nurmagomedov or fight replacement opponent Justin Gaethje on April 18.
Pro lightweights name their 155-pound GOAT
Cole Shelton - March 31, 2020
One of the biggest questions in all of MMA is who is the GOAT? Is it someone who had the biggest impact on the sport or the person who won the most? It’s an interesting debate for fighters and fans alike to have at any time. So, with little to no MMA on for the foreseeable future, BJPENN.com reached out to several current and former lightweights to ask who their divisional GOAT is. The majority believe it is Khabib Nurmagomedov but the likes of Tony Ferguson, BJ Penn, Frankie Edgar and Conor McGregor are in the discussion.
MMA community reacts to potential cancelation of Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Tony Ferguson
Tom Taylor - March 30, 2020
Early on Monday morning, UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov announced that he is stuck in Russia due to the country’s new travel restrictions. The implication here, of course, is that his long-awaited fight with Tony Ferguson now seems nearly impossible. While the bout is not officially cancelled yet, it seems very unlikely that it will have to be. Considering Nurmagomedov and Ferguson have been scheduled to fight four times previously to no avail, that’s a tough pill to swallow.
Khabib Nurmagomedov stranded in Russia: UFC 249 will go ahead 'with or without me'
Alfredo Zullino - March 30, 2020
It seems that the UFC 249 main event, which was expected to pit Khabib Nurmagomedov against Tony Ferguson, could be off the table again. There has been widespread worry over the last few days about Khabib Nurmagomedov’s whereabouts, and on Monday morning, “The Eagle” took to Instagram Live to confirm that he is seemingly stranded in Russia now that the country has closed its borders to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.
Dana White confirms "four or five" potential locations for UFC 249
Christopher Taylor - March 28, 2020
UFC President Dana White is determined to have next month’s UFC 249 pay-per-view event take place as scheduled on April 18, 2020. The fight card was originally slated to take place in Brooklyn, however, due to the Covid-19 outbreak the promotion was forced to move the event on short-notice.
Russia's cross-border travel ban potentially buries Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Tony Ferguson
Chris Taylor - March 28, 2020
Fight fans are on pins and needles wondering if April’s highly anticipated UFC 249 main event between Khabib Nurmagomedov and Tony Ferguson will happen. The lightweight title fight was initially booked for April 18 in Brooklyn. However, due to the recent Covid-19 outbreak, the UFC was forced to change the event location last minute and have still yet to formally announce the new venue.
Dustin Poirier recounts nearly submitting Khabib Nurmagomedov: "It was as close as it can get"
Tom Taylor - March 27, 2020
Dustin Poirier came up short in his bid to swipe the UFC lightweight title from Khabib Nurmagomedov back in September. That being said, he did have a brief moment of success against the champ, threatening with a deep guillotine choke mid-way through the fight. Speaking on a recent edition of the UFC Unfiltered podcast, Poirier looked back on the moment that he almost submitted Nurmagomedov.
Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Tony Ferguson: Who has the better resume?
Tom Taylor - March 27, 2020
If everything goes according to plan, Khabib Nurmagomedov and Tony Ferguson will finally collide in the main event of UFC 249 on April 18. The card will not occur in Brooklyn as originally planned, and there will not be any fans in the building watching it live, but if Dana White is to believed, it’s going to happen. The fight is a massive one for MMA not only because Nurmagomedov and Ferguson have been scheduled to fight four times previously to no avail, but because they stand out as the two greatest lightweights of this era.
Artem Lobov says 'focused' Conor McGregor deserves Khabib rematch, confident he'd dethrone the champ
Cole Shelton - March 26, 2020
Artem Lobov believes his teammate and friend, Conor McGregor deserves the chance to rematch Khabib Nurmagomedov. McGregor and Nurmagomedov fought back at UFC 229 where the lead up to the fight was intense. The rivalry was heated and after the submission win by Nurmagomedov, a post-fight melee took place.
Disrespect shown to Tony Ferguson could be calamitous for Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Conor McGregor II
Jordy McElroy - March 25, 2020
Objects in the mirror may be closer than they appear, but it’s truly the offbeat, borderline eccentric madman riding shotgun that should be most concerning to UFC lightweight king Khabib Nurmagomedov. Top contender Tony Ferguson won’t make it rain green like Conor McGregor, but he could make it spew red by giving the champ a fight the likes of which the lightweight division has never seen. Money, hype, showmanship—any quantifiable description of a mere spectacle falls at the wayside when pitting the baddest 155-pounders on the planet against one another.