He may be getting impatient but it could benefit Khabib Nurmagomedov to hold out until the summer to fight.
It seems that Nurmagomedov will now officially go two years without competing as the UFC will struggle to find a replacement on ten days’ notice for the UFC on Fox 19 card after Tony Ferguson pulled out from the main event on Tuesday night.
A number of fighters have thrown their hats in the ring to replace ‘El Cucuy’ but if Nurmagomedov can hold off on the anxiety to get back in there as soon as possible, he might just have a title fight on the horizon.
Reigning lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos has offered Nurmagomedov a bout on this summer’s monstrous UFC 200 card, citing ‘unfinished business’ as the reason.
Sorry to hear Ferguson is out. @TeamKhabib We have some unfinished business, I'll be ready in July @danawhite @lorenzofertitta #Jesusfirst
— Rafael dos Anjos (@RdosAnjosMMA) April 6, 2016
Dos Anjos is referring to the fact that Nurmagomedov beat him in the Russian’s last UFC bout, in April 2014, and the title holder wants to eliminate all doubt as to who the undisputed champion truly is.
Due to his perfect professional record of 22-0, many see Nurmagomedov as the champion-to-be at 155lbs and with no fight on the horizon for RDA, one would struggle to argue that the rematch does not make sense.
It seems that Nurmagomedov was not exactly willing to jump at the chance to claim the lightweight title, though, as he joked that his comprehensive unanimous decision victory over the Brazilian at UFC on Fox 11 ought to have made it clear enough who the superior fighter is.
@RdosAnjosMMA I believe it was clear to everyone last time. Or "Fake champ" title still torturing you? pic.twitter.com/Xex1N5evba
— khabib nurmagomedov (@TeamKhabib) April 6, 2016
We’ll be closely keeping tabs on how this one progresses.
