Nurmagomedov vs. Ferguson

This is the official discussion thread for Nurmagomedov vs. Ferguson. Let's see what you've got.

If Khabib only had Ben Henderson's explosive and athletic legs, he'd already be champion.

Khabib well on his way to being TJ Grant 2.0.

Sounds like he is thinking of retiring?

http://mmajunkie.com/2015/10/ufcs-khabib-nurmagomedov-after-latest-injury-im-not-sure-if-i-will-ever-come-back

“I want to apologize to my fans. I broke my rib, and again I am out of the fight. I really wanted to come back, I’m not sure if I will ever come back. Thanks to my fans and my sponsors.”

Khabib is probably just feeling very dejected right now. Once he heals up he'll still want to come back. 

This set back has finally made me drop his ranking a bit. I still had him up at #2 before today.

While I agree with you @AnAlias, he's lost years off his prime at this rate and even may never reach his full potential considering the lasting effects of all these injuries on him physically and the apprehension it will bring him everyday when he does walk into the gym that it may happen again. On top of all of this, Khabib is 22-0 and number 2 in the lightweight division...with a dominant win over the champion yet he makes peanuts...after paying his gym, his managers and travel costs he probably doesn't make much more than if he were a wrestling coach in Russia yet sacrifices so much to do it. Remember the UFC pays it's fighters about 14% of Gross which means they pretty much Rob them of about 2/3rds of what they deserve On top of this they robbed them of their sponsors and put them in the most binding contracts. If Khabib says **** up, understand why. 

I have him as number one since he beat the current champ. Will have to change that due to inactivity, though.

khabib = goat

edit: he never lost

* Edited at 11.01.2015, 3:59 PM ET *

@CthulhuJones There's no way i'd take Tony over Khabib even not knowing if he'll look 100%.Khabib did look much better every single fight.Look at him vs Tibau and then look at his last fight when he dominated the champ.So i'd have a hard time putting any stock into him looking worse than last fight,I mean Cruz looked like an absolute monster last fight (although it's hard to tell being so short).The guys 27 and a freak,I would bet he looks almost as good as before or better, before I bet he'd look much worse.

More importantly than any of that imo is that Tony is a stubborn guy, and will fight anywhere the fight goes.He did look like he followed a better gameplan vs Thomson though.Just a year ago Tony was gifted a decision (imo) against Danny Castillo when Tony decided to have a 3 round wrestling match with a guy that has a weak chin in a terrible display of fight IQ considering Tony's very heavy hands.Castillo took him down multiple times to zero and passed multiple times to 0 while Tony iirc initiated most of the grappling.His bad fight IQ has shown up in other fights too like when he had a striking match with Micheal Johnson who's losses have mostly (if not all) been because of wrestling,and got picked apart.

I think Khabib would take him down almost at will, and instead of looking to defend or get up I think Tony would be looking for subs that he wouldn't get,making the clock and gameplan his enemy.That's just how I see this fight and things I think of when analyzing it.Tony's super dangerous and of course could win that fight if it was to happen,I personally would not even think about picking him if Khabib didn't get injured.Tony vs Edson Barboza is an awesome fight too and stylistically much better for him considering Barboza's questionable chin.Khabib's injuries have been a giant disappointment, but man December is going to be nuts!

* Edited at 11.01.2015, 5:21 PM ET *

I will pick Khabib in his fights. Especially the RDA rematch, Cerrone on the other hand (Since he's gonna beat RDA, most likely by UD..maybe a midfight sub.) I might have to go with Cerrone, but I need to see him at the weigh ins. He hasn't fought since the IV ban has he?  

It will suck if he never fights again.

that would suck so very much

we need nurm to get back in there and get that title shot. it sucks when great fighters never get their shot and chance to make it big when they deserve it

it also sucs to have a lightweight champion. that just before getting his title shot loses to guy in the division who has yet to get a shot of his own. its a lot like the dillashaw and asuncao situation at bantamweight

In the Assuncao fight though, most people feel Dillashaw won.