Khabib Nurmagomedov strongly disagrees with a McGregor Lightweight title shot idea
UFC News – After Eddie Alvarez won the UFC lightweight championship back in July, he almost immediatelybegan angling for a fight with either Nate Diaz or Conor McGregor, whoever won their UFC 202 rematch. After McGregor walked away victorious, it seemed that Alvarez was going to get his wish.
But yesterday, that all changed. In what appears to be a bit of behind the scene negotiationsspilling over into the public, a Tweet-storm appeared with Alvarez publicly challenging McGregor and Dana White fueling things even further by saying that Alvarez hasn’t been offered McGregor, but was offered top-ranked contender Khabib Nurmagomedov. Nurmagomedov also joined in the fray, calling Alvarez a chicken and promising to finish him “fast and with no pain.”
This wasn’t just a sudden occurrence. The question of who Alvarez was going to fight next and Nurmagomedov’s insistence that he deserves the shot has been going on for months. Recently in an interview on the Five Rounds podcast with Brett Okamoto of ESPN, Nurmagomedov talked about why he should be next in line, why McGregor doesn’t deserve it, and why a decision has been so slow to come.
“Conor’s stuck two divisions, featherweight and lightweight. Now Conor makes the decisions…
“I want to fight at 205 in New York, maybe fight with Eddie Alvarez. I love this fight. I want to fight for the belt. All fans, coaches, fighters, analytics, everybody agrees and knows who deserves this title shot. I deserve it. I am No. 1 ranked. Why UFC put me on No. 1 ranking if they don’t want to give me title shot? Why do they make rankings?
“Conor McGregor fights in the UFC in a lighter division and the UFC wants to give him title shot? I think this is No. 1 bullshit. They cannot give him a title shot because he’s never fought with the top guys, like top five, top 10 in the lightweight division, and they want to give him title shot? ”
Nurmagomedov is 23-0 with a 7-0 record in the UFC and a dominant win over the former champion Rafael dos Anjos but his claim to a title shot is far from bulletproof. Though he is ranked No. 1 in the UFC rankings, he has been very inactive, facing a spat of injuries the last two years. His most recent win was back in April, a win of short notice and unheralded Darrell Horcher.
McGregor is, of course, the current featherweight champion, undefeated at that weight with a 1 – 1 record in the welterweight division, both fights against the currently fourth-ranked lightweight Nate Diaz. McGregor has never competed at 155 lbs. in the UFC and would be getting a lightweight title shot off the back of his success at 145 pounds. and his recent win over Diaz. Nurmagomedov doesn’t put much stock in McGregor’s lightweight resume and thinks it is just about the money.
“I think at 170 pounds a lot of people can kill both [McGregor and Diaz]. This is my opinion. If we look at the lightweight division, I think a lot of guys can beat these guys. Edson Barboza, Tony Ferguson, Dos Anjos, Michael Johnson, a lot of guys can beat those guys. I think this is big money fight, and that’s it. I don’t think this it’s a high level fight.
“For me it’s very interesting, how will Conor look when he comes to lightweight division? For me, I think his weight is 155 , but if he wants to fight for the title he needs to take somebody like a top five fighter. If he beats him, he deserves title shot, I agree. But now if the UFC gives him a title shot, I don’t agree because I am the next in the line.”
And according to Dana White, Nurmagomedov is next in line, though of course it wouldn’t be the first time White was incorrect about something. However per Megan Olivi at UFC Tonight, Alvarez was sent a bout agreement to fight Nurmagomedov at UFC 205 but he failed to sign the contract in time for the deadline. Still, it is possible that Alvarez will refuse to fight Nurmagomedov or that McGregor, who is ready to step in and fight, will reach an agreement with the UFC. Should that happen, Nurmagomedov is prepared to trudge on.
“I’m still focused. If the UFC gives him a title shot, it’s okay. I’m a little bit not happy and at the same time I’m a little bit happy, because if the UFC gives him a title shot and he becomes lightweight champion and I win somebody like a top five guy, then we have to fight and he has to fight with me…
“Michael Johnson already beat Edson Barboza, he already beat Dustin Poirier, he already beat Tony Ferguson. I think Michael is good if I don’t fight for the title. Michael, Edson, I like Michael Chiesa but he’s still injured, somebody. I don’t care who is my opponent. If UFC don’t give me a title shot, I want to fight with the best. I don’t care who.”
Category: Mixed Martial Arts
