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Russia’s UFC Champ Nurmagomedov ready to face winner of Ferguson-Gaethje bout

The Russian boxer was to face off American Tony Ferguson at a UFC event in Brooklyn, New York, on April 18, 2020 if it hadn't been for the coronavirus pandemic

Khabib Nurmagomedov Valery Matytsin/TASS

Khabib Nurmagomedov

© Valery Matytsin/TASS

MOSCOW, April 8. /TASS/. Russia’s UFC Reigning Lightweight Champion Khabib Nurmagomedov is ready to face next the winner of the bout between US fighters Tony Ferguson and Justin Gaethje, Nurmagomedov’s manager Rizvan Magomedov told TASS on Wednesday.

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UFC President Dana White says decided on venue for Nurmagomedov-Ferguson fight

"It is obvious that the next opponent [for Nurmagomedov] will be the winner of the fight between Gaethje and Ferguson," Magomedov said. "This is an obligation of the Champion to defend his belt."

Nurmagomedov’s team signed a contract last November for the Russian fighter to face American Tony Ferguson at a UFC event in Brooklyn, New York, on April 18, 2020, in Barclays Center. New York Mayor Bill de Blasio announced in early March the state of emergency in response to the novel coronavirus pandemic, which includes the cancellation and postponement of various sports events, including the bout between Nurmagomedov and Ferguson.

However, UFC (the Ultimate Fighting Championship) President Dana White announced on March 24 that he found a new location for the fight between Nurmagomedov and Ferguson, but declined to specify the venue.

Numagomedov stated earlier in the month his decision against traveling to the United States for the fight against Ferguson in view of the ongoing global spread of COVID-19.

UFC President White announced this month that the Russian fighter would be substituted in the fight against Ferguson on April 18 by Justin ‘The Highlight’ Gaethje, 31, who has a record of 21 wins (18 by KO/TKO, one by submission and two by decisions) and two defeats. White also said that Nurmagomedov would retain his champion’s belt and the Ferguson-Gaethje fight would be "for the interim lightweight belt."

Nurmagomedov and his team set off for the United States in mid-February for trainings ahead of his bout against the American opponent. US fighter Tony ‘El Cucuy’ Ferguson, 36, has a record of 25 wins (12 by KOs, eight by submission and five by decision) and three defeats. However, the Russian fighter later returned home due to the novel coronavirus outbreak and the suspension of his bout against the US fighter.

UFC Reigning Champ Nurmagomedov

In early September last year, Nurmagomedov defended his UFC champion’s belt for the second time in a title unification bout in Abu Dhabi against Dustin Poirier of the United States. The Russian defeated his US opponent with a choke in Round 3.

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The 31-year-old Russian fighter, nicknamed ‘The Eagle,’ currently holds an unblemished record of 28 wins in all of his mixed martial arts fights (8 by KOs, 10 by submission and 10 by decision).

Khabib Nurmagomedov, hailing from Russia’s North Caucasus Region of Dagestan, was the first Russian to win the UFC champion title during the fight against his US opponent Al Iaquinta in the spring of 2018.

On April 8, 2018, Nurmagomedov defeated Al Iaquinta in a five-round fight for the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) lightweight belt in New York.

At the UFC 229 tournament in Las Vegas in October 2018, Nurmagomedov defended his champion’s title in the fight against Conor McGregor, a renowned Irish professional mixed martial arts fighter and boxer.

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