On April 8, one of the most anticipated fights of the year will take place in New York. The main event at UFC 220 will be the battle between Khabib Nurmagomedov and interim champion Tony Ferguson.
The confrontation will formally take place for the title of full-fledged UFC champion in lightweight. The fact is that current belt holder Connor McGregor does not seem to be planning to return to the cage anytime soon. UFC President Dana White has already announced that he does not plan to leave the Irishman champion without fights, despite his incredible popularity and regalia McGregor has been stripped of his belt. At the same time, as soon as the Irishman wants to return, he will receive the right to a championship fight.
This is not the first time Ferguson and Nurmagomedov have attempted to meet. The fight between them was supposed to take place back in April 2016. Then Ferguson was unable to fight due to injury. Further confrontation was planned a year later - in March 2017. Here the match fell apart due to Khabib’s fault. The Russian was unable to make weight ahead of the fight.
Nurmagomedov's ideal career
The Russian is one of the few fighters in the UFC who does not have a single defeat in his professional career. He has 25 wins in a row. For a long time Nurmagomedov was accused of not fighting against the strongest. Indeed, some time ago this statement was relevant. Nurmagomedov irritated the public by withdrawing from important fights.
However, on the eve of the New Year, Khabib simply destroyed the top knockout artist Edson Barboza, and with him the crowd of skeptics who predicted Nurmagomedov’s failure. The Brazilian looked simply pathetic compared to the Russian. Khabib dominated for three rounds. It is unclear how the Brazilian was able to withstand this beating. Nurmagomedov missed several in the standing position strong blows, but demonstrated that he was able to withstand powerful hits and could not be knocked down by one stray blow.
During his UFC career, Khabib won nine fights. Debuted in 2012. The main complaint against Nurmagomedov is the small number of fights. On average, a Russian enters the ring once a year.
Champion Tony Ferguson
Ferguson has lost three out of 26 fights in the world of mixed martial arts. At the same time, he has only one defeat in the UFC. The current lightweight champion fell victim to Michael Johnson back in 2012. By the way, Khabib declassed the same Johnson in a head-to-head fight.
Ferguson, on the contrary, often enters the octagon and so far has successfully defended his championship title. Tony won his belt in his last fight against Kevin Lee. The fight was very difficult, but Ferguson showed good wrestling skills and managed to secure a painful hold in the third round.
Ferguson vs. the best wrestler in the world
Nurmagomedov is the main master of ground fighting in the UFC. He has no equal. At the same time, analysts leave some chances for Ferguson to survive in this fight. Tony works very well with his elbows, plus he’s not as monotonous as Barboza. During his career, Ferguson often won with painful techniques. Perhaps this will be Tony's main problem in this fight. He does not have the knockout punch of the same Barbosa, and it is impossible to defeat Nurmagomedov on the ground. Accordingly, it is not clear how the champion will defend his belt.
Odds 1xC bets
Khabib Nurmagomedov is the clear favorite in this fight. The coefficient for it is 1.42. A bet on the current champion is accepted at odds of 3.12. It's a very rare case for the UFC when a challenger has such a big advantage.
Betting League Odds
This time the Betting League was modest with the odds, putting up the lowest numbers for the victory of both athletes. You can bet that Nurmagomedov will win with odds of 1.35, while Ferguson’s victory is estimated at 2.95.
Olympus odds
Olympus gives, in general, good odds; you can bet on Nurmagomedov’s victory here with odds of 1.43, on Ferguson – 3. At the same time, the odds for total rounds are slightly lower than in other bookmakers.
Betcity odds
Betcity also offers good odds. The probability of Khabib's victory here is estimated at 1.43, Tony's - 3. The total of rounds more than 3.5 can be taken for 1.67, the Total of less than 2.5 - for 2.2.
Ferguson – Nurmagomedov fight forecast
There is a high probability that Ferguson and Nurmagomedov will go the full distance in five rounds. Both cannot be called knockout artists, but the fighters have incredible endurance and stamina. Ferguson is a warrior like no other, but in this confrontation he will most likely have to survive. It is beneficial for Tony to have the fight take place in a standing position, but it is unlikely that he will be able to protect himself from being taken to the ground. Barboza was one of the best takedown defenses in the UFC. The whole world saw what happened to him. It is unlikely that a similar fate awaits Ferguson, since he will be able to force a fight on Khabib on the ground, but, most likely, the champion will simply be able to avoid a beating, but not defeat.
Nurmagomedov will certainly try to end the fight beautifully ahead of schedule. Winning a championship in this style is a special pinnacle for anyone in the UFC.
The odds for Nurmagomedov are low, but reliable. There is no particular point in betting on Ferguson. We can also assume a long fight. A bet on a total of rounds greater than 3.5 looks good. Maximum, at this moment, the odds for such an outcome are offered by 1xBet, but it is convenient to bet on victory in Olympus and Betcity, but in 1xBet the odds are slightly lower.
— On the eve of the fight with Edson Barbosa, it turned out that you have a new addition to your family and now you are the proud father of a boy and a girl. Did this serve as additional motivation during the fight?
— Yes, this certainly motivated me greatly: after all, my second child was born on the day of the fight. And I entered the cage with the thought that my son would watch this fight when he grew up. And this is quite a motivation!
— Do you think you will bring him to the gym one day, help him take his first steps in mixed martial arts, so that he follows in your footsteps?
- I think yes. Sports training, including at school, benefits children and young people. I don’t know what awaits him in the future, but he will definitely train. Or maybe even fight bears. Let's see.
— We know that you try not to talk about your personal life in the press and among fans. But maybe you can still share the name of the future champion?
— His name is Mohammed.
— Before and after your fight with Barbosa, they talked a lot about the weigh-in procedure...
“I did a great job.” I reached the required weight and came to the ceremony. And, if necessary, I can repeat this again. Ferguson says I didn't make the championship weight. But why is this necessary when you can show 70.8 kg or 70.5 kg? What's the point of stopping the scale at 70.3 kg? Next time I need it, I'll do it. And I will show that this is not a problem for me.
— You were calm and confident. Can you call this part of your new training for fights? And what helps you achieve this mindset?
“I think everything came together here: serious motivation, thirst for victory, the birth of a son. Everything came together that day. I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to do something like that again, because not only did I become a father for the second time, but I also had one of the best fights of the year. After all, it was not easy! At least that's what the UFC thinks. So this is just a perfect day for me.
- Your father and coach Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov often criticizes you for mistakes in fights - despite the fact that you have not lost a single round in UFC. What did he say about your meeting with Barbosa?
— We often talk about this fight. My father thinks that I am too much and that some caution must be exercised, since my opponents are still too dangerous. Barboza has a great kick, is a great boxer and can land a very dangerous jumping knee. We talk about this a lot, but the most important thing is victory. If you win, nothing else matters. So yes, we often discuss fights with my father. And not only the fights with Barboza - all the others too.
— It is known that your fight with Tony Ferguson will take place in April. In the UFC stated that you will fight for the real belt, and not for a temporary one. Technically this means that . However, Dana White avoided answering the question about Conor's title. Why do you think they don't want to make it official?
“I discussed this situation with Dana and the others. They say we will fight for the vacant undisputed title. This is not Conor's belt, this is not Tony Ferguson's interim belt, this is a vacant belt. The fight will take place on April 7, and the next day they will have to officially announce that the winner of this fight becomes the real champion. At the moment, Tony Ferguson is the interim champion. Conor is called the current champion, but he did not defend his belt. The winner of our fight with Ferguson will become a real champion.
- Nurmagomedov about the fight with Ferguson
— What do you think is the most dangerous thing about Tony’s fighting style: his unconventional style, the jiu-jitsu techniques he uses, or maybe something else?
- I doubt that he is superior to me in jiu-jitsu or grappling techniques. He seems a little unpredictable to me. Tony lands a good knee and elbow strike. But it’s unlikely that he’s ever faced an opponent like me before, who is capable of applying crazy pressure and controlling the fight from the top position - that is, strong and good in any techniques. I will demonstrate all this when we are left alone in the cage. He and I are opponents different levels.
— Your fight with Ferguson should- a New York area where, as you know, there is a high proportion of the Russian-speaking population. Last year you had a meeting with fans in America. How did you feel when you saw such support abroad? big number Russian-speaking fans?
— It can hardly be said that only Russians support me: I have many fans both in America and around the world. Initially, the UFC planned to organize the fight in Seattle, Washington state. But when I was offered to participate in the fight and I agreed, they decided to hold it in Brooklyn. In general, the transfer happened because of me, not because of Ferguson. Apparently, the UFC is now starting to support and promote me. Now we will change a lot.
— It recently became known that the UFC also plans to organize an event in Russia and that a venue in Moscow has already been booked for this. Do you have any information about this event? Your father said that you were most likely . IN UFCHave you discussed this issue with you?
— We discussed this issue with Dana. But, according to him, there is no official decision. Yes, work is being done in this direction. But he says that they have difficulties - in the sense that it is not so easy to do business with Russian businessmen, since this is Russia and everything here is not the same as in other countries. Here we need to do things a little differently.
— Media reports that a Russian businessman has acquired a stake in WME shares-IMG, which owns 90% of the UFC. Many journalists suggest that this businessman could be your friend, who supports you in many ways, Ziyavudin Magomedov. Is this information reliable?
— To be honest, I don’t know anything about this. Ziyavudin planned to promote Fight Nights. And to be honest, I haven’t heard anything about buying a 10% stake in UFC.
— If you manage to win the belt in a fight with Tony Ferguson, then it is logical to assume that then you will have to defend it in a fight with Conor McGregor in Russia. Given the Irishman's options, including a fight with Nate Diaz, would he agree to fight you? Since he will most likely lose the belt and, accordingly, he will no longer have to defend his title. Do you think he will accept your challenge?
“McGregor can fight Nate Diaz, he can box, but if I beat Tony Ferguson, it will knock his arrogance off. McGregor will have to. He has only fought one fight in the lightweight division and wants to fight for the title. No way! When I become UFC lightweight champion, I'll think, “Who's a worthy contender, who's got five, six, seven wins? They deserve to fight for the title, not you!” Let's see how everything turns out. But I don’t think he will agree to fight me. I think he understands how it will end.
- “The winner of the fight will become a real champion”: Nurmagomedov about the fight with Ferguson, the challenge to McGregor and the birth of his son
— In addition to your cousin Abubakar Nurmagomedov, a contract withUFCsigned by another fighter with the same last name - Said Nurmagomedov. Is he your relative too? Do you know him?
- With Said? Of course I do. He is mine good friend, a wonderful fighter. But, although we have the same last names, we are not brothers. I think he has good prospects in the UFC.
— How are things with your brother Abubakar?
- He's still there. He will fight in Russia in March and then sign a contract.
— In your opinion, what other fighters from Russia have good chances inUFC?
— Two names come to mind: Zabit Magomedsharipov and Islam Makhachev. They are young, strong fighters. They are good at everything: striking, grappling, hand-to-hand combat. And besides, they are psychologically stable. You just need to give them a little time and they will show themselves. Perhaps not this year. But in the next year everyone will be talking about them.
A stocky striker and a lean fighter - a duel of two tactics, two philosophies. Millions of mixed martial arts fans were waiting for this fight. It's no joke, the future opponent of Conor McGregor himself was being determined.
Before the fight, the atmosphere was heating up every day: the opponents did not spare each other barbs, trying to hurt each other as much as possible.
“My fight is scheduled for March 4, and I intend to take the championship belt. After this fight I will meet McGregor. I will finish them both off, and you will not be able to repeat my achievement.
It sounds crazy, but I can do it,” Nurmagomedov said on FOX Sports.
The American did not remain in debt.
“I threw Khabib’s proposal out the window. Real nonsense. We've settled financial conditions. I know what I’m worth, I know my numbers, and this guy is not even close to the fights that I gave to the world.
The guy hasn't fought a California grizzly yet. I will fight hard. I don’t know what kind of bears they have there in Dagestan and how many pieces of meat they tied around your neck so that the bear would play with you. I have been accustomed to hardships since childhood and will happily derail his PR train. I'm a completely different animal.
He will begin to feel fear. I'm looking forward to finishing it. Is he telling me to shut up and train? Boy, too many words. You constantly look at me and respond on Twitter within 2 minutes. You're worse than obsessive ex-girlfriend. You look at me like a hawk and an eagle, and rightly so, because you will be shaking from what I will do to you,” Ferguson responded via MMA Junkie.
“King of Dublin” McGregor also failed to remain silent (surprisingly!) about the upcoming fight:
“The UFC didn’t tell me anything about the interim belt. Business is business. They need to get attention because
these two contenders for the interim championship belt are bags. They are careless, disorderly. Their fights are unpleasant to watch. These two clowns are just like that. Two bags fight for the interim championship belt.
They should be very glad that I am resting now, taking a break, because they have a small chance to think that they are at the top level. But in reality they are not even close to it. In a fight with me, both will be knocked out.”
But not fate... According to media reports, Nurmagomedov was hospitalized a little more than a day before the super fight due to extreme weight loss. Doctors forbade the Russian fighter to participate in the fight. And even though Khabib has already been discharged from the hospital, Tony (El Cucuy) Ferguson will not see the Dagestan Eagle in the octagon on the night of March 5, 2017. And the UFC 209 show will lose one of the most beautiful posters in the entire history of the organization.
“On the eve of the fight, Khabib became ill and was taken to the hospital. The reason for the deterioration in health was the problem of weight loss,”
- an interlocutor close to the athlete’s family explained to RIA Dagestan.
“Khabib was ready to go out and fight, despite what happened, but the doctors forbade him. He feels fine now."
- TASS quotes Artur Idrisov, general director of the Fighting Way company.
Ferguson did not dance on his opponent’s bones and expressed support for the Russian.
“I hope you are feeling better now, Khabib. I will pray for your health. I’m not lying, get better!” — Ferguson wrote on Twitter.
The father of the 28-year-old fighter, Abdulmanap Magomedov, noted that he considers canceling the fight the right decision.
"It was correct solution. You can't risk your health. We will discuss the future of Khabib’s career later, in a week.
He still has two years to compete. But this weight loss made itself felt. As experts say, it is precisely this that affects kidney stones,” R-Sport quotes Nurmagomedov Sr.
Anatoly Tokov, a student of Fedor Emelianenko who competes in Bellator, also supported his colleague in the fighting department.
“It’s a shame that this happened, I was waiting for this fight. I wish Khabib a speedy recovery and hope he takes the UFC belt when he recovers.
Fights in the States are always difficult for Russian fighters. There is a risk of getting sick. Even when I fought in America in Bellator, I slept three to four hours a day because it was difficult for me to adjust.
I once again wish Khabib to recover as quickly as possible,” Tokov told Sport-Express.
In turn, the Russian’s manager Ali Abdel-Aziz apologized to the team of 32-year-old Ferguson and the fans, adding that the athlete’s health always comes first.
“I feel sorry for Tony and his team, very sorry. Now the main thing is Khabib’s health. At these moments he is resting in his room. For now we are not thinking about what will happen next.
I would like to sincerely apologize to Tony, his team, the UFC and the fans. We were all looking forward to this fight."
— MMA Fighting quotes Abdel-Aziz as saying.
Representatives of mixed martial arts also sympathized with the athlete from the United States. Thus, Stephen Siler said that the likelihood of a fight between a Russian and an American is now unlikely.
“I sympathize with Ferguson at these moments. Just give him Conor, because the Ferguson-Nurmagomedov fight is simply not meant to happen,” Siler tweeted.
Another UFC fighter, Patrick Cote, noted that no one forces athletes to engage in extreme weight loss and that because of such “fools,” the entire sport as a whole suffers.
“I don’t see any problem - no one forces you to lose weight, it’s a personal decision and you are personally responsible for it. I'm tired of our sport looking bad because some stupid people are cutting weight wrong.
Personally, I lose up to ten kilograms before each fight and feel great the next day. Harvesting is safe if done correctly,”
Cote also tweeted.
"Extreme weight loss - that's the main problem MMA. We need to find a solution so that fighters can enter the octagon at a normal weight.
Severe exhaustion 24 hours before a fight in the octagon has huge consequences for the health of athletes."
Note that Nurmagomedov has not suffered a single fiasco during his career; he has 24 victories, 16 of them were won ahead of schedule.
Ferguson has 22 wins and three losses.
You can find other news, materials and statistics on boxing and MMA, as well as in the sports department groups in in social networks
Two super fights with the participation of Russian fighters were scheduled for the first weekend of the first month of spring. On March 3 at the capital's Olimpiyskiy there will be an M-1 Challenge 75 tournament with the participation of, within the framework of which he meets with Paul Bradley. On the night of March 5 in Moscow, a fight between the undefeated Russian UFC fighter in Las Vegas with an American Tony Ferguson for the title of interim champion. However, it has been cancelled. "SE" collects the main thing about the two fights.
20.00, Moscow time. The fight is in jeopardy. During the mandatory preliminary weigh-in procedure for fighters (ends at 22.00 Moscow time), it becomes known: the athlete has been hospitalized and he will most likely miss the event.
"Khabib is in the hospital. He suddenly felt sharp pain, called an ambulance. There is no exact diagnosis yet - either kidneys or liver. Will there be a fight? I don’t have any information yet,” - fighter’s father and trainer Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov, who did not receive a US visa and stayed home.
Additional information - Nurmagomedov lost weight extremely. According to some reports, he became ill in the sauna.
22.00. UFC announces in a press release: a fight between Ferguson canceled on the recommendation of doctors. The Russian athlete was reportedly hospitalized on Thursday evening due to problems that arose while “regulating” his weight. The fighter has already been discharged from the hospital after providing the necessary medical care.
The battle Nurmagomedova And Ferguson breaks down for the third time. In December 2015, the fight did not take place due to an injury to the Russian, and in April 2016, after the American refused due to lung problems.
Alexander SHLEMENKO (left) and Khabib NURMAGOMEDOV. Photo "SE"
INTERVIEW OF THE DAY
Father and coach of the most successful Russian fighter V UFC - Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov spoke about his son’s tactics for the fight against the American Tony Ferguson. Interim champion title fight UFC V lightweight will take place on March 4 in Las Vegas.
Khabib NURMAGOMEDOV with his father. Photo Photo "Instagram"
QUOTE OF THE DAY
REPORT OF THE DAY
INTERVIEW NURMAGOMEDOV
In the previous battle painful hold defeated the American Michael Johnson, bringing their unbeaten streak to 24 victories.
When I finished the first round, I saw that Dana White was very close to me. He said: “You have a fight, you must be focused on it now,” Nurmagomedov said, as quoted by the official UFC channel on Youtube. - To which I replied: “Yes, everything is in order, this fight is almost over.” Michael Johnson is a tough guy, but I beat him in the fight. And I asked, “When are you going to give me a title shot?”
When I came to this sport, I wanted only one thing - to become undefeated champion UFC Lightweight Championship. This is my dream. Conor McGregor was never my dream, I never thought about him. I don't care about Conor at all! I only think about the championship belt.
When I enter the cage, I think: this is another opponent, and I have to finish him off. It doesn't matter who. The UFC gave me this opponent and I'm going to beat him.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
Father and coach of the best Russian MMA fighter Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov stated that his son Khabib will end his professional career in 2018.
I’ve never told anyone about this before, but soon Khabib will really need to finish it,” life.ru quotes Nurmagomedov Sr. as saying. - I don’t want to upset the fans, but each person is given their own resource, and it is not unlimited. Khabib has one and a half to two years left to fight.
Now on March 4 we need to win, and win convincingly, so as not to give the judges any hint of a chance to come up with something, Tony Ferguson. After that, fight for the championship belt, ideally with Conor McGregor. Well, in 2018, defend the title two, maximum three times. Khabib is now 28 years old, he should finish at 30. I need my son to benefit our country and other fighters, to help martial arts develop in Russia.
NEWS OF THE DAY
The main beauty of the fight - Tony Ferguson is that the winner is promised a meeting with himself. This is not just speculation, but the words of UFC President Dana White.
“I don’t know at what stage the negotiations between McGregor and Mayweather are,” TMZ quotes White as saying. - I expect that Conor will have his next fight with the winner of the Ferguson-Nurmagomedov fight. These are the first and second numbers in the rating, they are tough fighters. They hate each other best fight can't be imagined. McGregor and Nurmagomedov? Khabib is tough, but Conor's strength has been doubted since his arrival in the UFC.
The fight for the UFC interim lightweight champion title between Khabib Nurmagomedov and American Tony Ferguson has been canceled due to the Russian's health problems. understands the cause of what happened and assesses the future prospects of the 28-year-old fighter from Dagestan.
What happened
Three hours before the traditional weigh-in ceremony before the fight, Khabib was urgently hospitalized. The athlete’s father Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov confirmed this in an interview with Match TV. “Indeed, Khabib was taken to the hospital. But there are still 3 hours before the weigh-in, maybe everything will work out. There are either liver problems or kidney stones. We are waiting for information,” Nurmagomedov Sr. said.
Earlier, in a conversation with a Lenta.ru correspondent, he noted that his son could compete in a heavier weight category, since between fights he weighs about 87 kilograms. The fight with Ferguson was supposed to take place in lightweight weight - up to 70 kilograms. The problem turned out to be precisely this - Nurmagomedov’s team reported that a few hours before the weigh-in, Khabib did not meet the required weight, he urgently needed to lose from 2.8 to 3 kilograms.
No stones were found in Nurmagomedov’s kidneys; the Russian expressed his readiness to fight, but the fight was already cancelled. One could have expected a sharp reaction from the opponent, because Ferguson and Khabib regularly threw mud at each other in the media and social networks. But Tony showed nobility and only wished his opponent a speedy recovery.
The Russian team returned the favor with kindness. “I sincerely apologize to Tony and his camp. The most important thing at the moment is Khabib’s health. Now he is in his room. We are not thinking about the future yet. “I want to apologize again to Tony, his team and all UFC fans, we really really wanted to make this fight,” said Nurmagomedov’s manager Ali Abdel-Aziz.
A day before the fight, two people expressed a desire to replace Nurmagomedov at once - who lost to Khabib without a chance in November and Nate Diaz, who does not miss a single opportunity to fight, and therefore make money. Ferguson himself refused to fight Johnson. By the way, Tony’s only defeat in the UFC was inflicted by him, in May 2012. Diaz did not meet the 70 kilogram requirement for a lightweight. In addition, according to the American, in the event of a replacement, the UFC refused to consider the fight a title fight and significantly reduced Tony’s fee.
Vague prospects
This is not the first time that Nurmagomedov’s fight with Ferguson has been disrupted. In December 2015, the fight was canceled due to an injury to the Russian, and in April 2016, due to lung problems with the American. Khabib’s prospects in the world’s strongest promotion are vague, because the winner of his fight with Ferguson was supposed to meet with the current UFC lightweight champion, the Irishman. But he looks at the situation philosophically.
“I do everything I can: I train every day from morning to evening, I live by it. I want to perform and please the fans. What does not depend on me, I cannot guarantee or fulfill,” Khabib noted.
Nurmagomedov Sr. calmly reacted to the cancellation of the fight and called on the public not to panic ahead of time. “It was the right decision. You can't risk your health. We will discuss the future of Khabib’s career later, in a week. He still has two years to compete,” summed up the fighter’s father.
Over the past month, two fights involving top Russian fighters have already broken down in the United States. On February 19, the fight with American Matt Mitrione was canceled. Athletes under contract with the second most powerful promotion in the world, Bellator, did not enter the octagon due to kidney stones found in Mitrione.
Everything is clear with Emelianenko’s future. If Mitrione does not have time to recover, then the Russian’s opponent will be another American fighter, Mohammed Lawal. The fight is scheduled for May-June 2017. But what awaits Nurmagomedov is still unclear. The only plus of the story with the cancellation of the fight is that Khabib’s defeat column still shows zero.