“The end of my career is just around the corner”: Nurmagomedov about the fight with Ferguson, a rematch with McGregor and the Russian flag

“Let Conor win ten battles in a row”

- Will your fight with Floyd Mayweather take place?

- At this stage of my career, it would be more correct for me to meet with Tony Ferguson. If Floyd came to me, then we would have fought, but I do not think that this is possible. Next year I have no such plans. I am a UFC champion and I need to protect my belt. If he wants to try his hand at MMA, then let him know, but I have no plans to box.

- When will the battle with Ferguson take place, are there any details?

- We started negotiations, they suggested that I fight in Las Vegas in March. I said that they should formally apologize to me for being fined for the incident on October 6, 2018 after our fight with Conor McGregor. Then I will fight. If not, give me a different date. As far as I know, a tournament is being prepared in New York in April. I could speak on it. Or in March in Las Vegas, if they give me back my million dollars, which was fined. These are my conditions.

- What is the probability that you will meet with him in Moscow?

- 95 percent. Everyone wants this fight - fans, UFC, me. It’s hard to say about Moscow. I really want to speak here, but there is no arena where the fight could take place. I would rather speak at the Gazprom Arena in St. Petersburg in front of 70 thousand spectators.

- Why didn’t you respond to McGregor’s words during his recent visit to Moscow?

- I see no reason for him to answer something. All that I needed to do, I did. And to reflect on his statements is not in my style.

“Is a fight with McGregor still possible, or is this a turned page?”

- To fight for the UFC championship belt, I won nine or ten fights. If he wins as many fights in a row, then it is entirely possible.

- Why do not you go out to fight with the Russian flag?

- I was waiting for this question. There are people who wear flags that they say represent their home country. Unlike them, I do not rape women, I do not beat the elderly, I do not urge people to drink alcohol. I represent my country in my own way. I don’t agree that if you hold the flag, you are a patriot, and if you don’t wear it, then no. There are tons of things you must do before you raise the flag. You never know that you raised the flag, you still have to match this.

"I do not advise my son to go to MMA"

- When will you finish your career?

- Of course, this day is just around the corner. Only a couple of fights remained. I wait until Islam Makhachev rises. I also need to pass the baton to someone, to whom I don’t want to give the belt. I would like a change of generations to take place in the UFC, and when I leave, Islam would come. That would be a historic event. Not a single trainer has ever had such that one of his students became a champion, and then another. I want my departure and the championship of Islam to coincide. So far, he is in 15th place in the ranking, waiting for his progress.

- What do you plan to do after your career ends?

- I have already begun to make some plans. There are projects that I will deal with. Now there is no time for them, because I am a professional athlete and I need to train. There are already plans, I’m definitely not lost.

- Will you have at least one fight in Moscow?

- I do not know for sure. The UFC offers Las Vegas, but we will replay this option and spend it elsewhere. I am not an organizer or promoter, I just accept the fights that they offer. In March-April I will be ready to fight to catch Ramadan.

- Would you like to move to a different weight and win the second championship belt?

- I would like to have all the belts. But we must look at the state of things really. I just do not see myself as a champion in two scales. After one victory, you must regularly defend the title. I am focused on 70 kg. I do not want to run after two hares. I am comfortable in my category, there is still something to prove in it.

- What would you do if you were not a fighter?

- Before I switched to sports at the age of 15-16, I studied and did not know what I would do. If there was no sport, I would find something to do, but I definitely can’t answer.

- Would you like your children to go in for martial arts?

- I would not advise them. Maybe he chose football for his son. I don’t want to be hit on the head. Or Olympic sports - wrestling, judo. If he chooses MMA, then I will support him, but I would recommend another entertainment to him.

- Do you do charity work?

- The Almighty says that we do good both secretly and explicitly. But secretly is better than obvious. I have projects that people don’t know about. There is also another grandiose project, which we will soon announce.

- What is the main thing in a battle?

- I think that fortitude comes first. If you are psychologically stable, you can fight at any level. There are fighters who train very well, but when they enter the big arena, they can’t control themselves, they show not the result that is expected of them. Technique is also important. If you have the mood, then what do you show without technology? Need to work in both directions. Combat skills can be gained, but strength of mind is hard to train. I have to be born with her, I think.