“Habib is impossible to defeat”

The planned duel between Khabib Nurmagomedov and Tony Ferguson is one of the most anticipated events of 2020 in mixed martial arts. On April 18, an American at the UFC 249 tournament in New York will try to take away the Russian lightweight champion belt. Opinions on the possible outcome of the confrontation are different, but the majority still considers the Russian favorite. Among them is former middleweight champion Robert Wittaker.

“Honestly, I don’t think anyone can defeat Habib. The one Habib I saw in the fight with McGregor cannot be defeated. I don’t see anyone, ”the fighter admitted in an interview with YouTube channel Grange TV.

In turn, UFC President Dana White suggested that Tony still has his trump cards, and if anyone can get the better of the champion, then this is the last time the American was inferior more than seven years ago.

“He earned the right to enter this battle. Thanks to the fans, one can appreciate how large-scale and significant the fight really is. Fans are crazy about this fight, they want to see it, so it can be argued that it is very important. Many believe that Tony is the guy who will defeat Habib. Let's see, ”White quotes ESPN.

Meanwhile, Habib himself continues to calmly prepare for the fight and does not respond to provocations against him. At the same time, a native of Dagestan does not forget to regularly update social networks. On Wednesday, he posted two posts on Instagram. In the first, Nurmagomedov called for a prayer for Australia, which suffers from forest fires, and in the second, he pleased the subscribers with his own photo 12 years ago.

View this Instagram post

When I was young.⚔️ Almost 12 years ago. When I was young 🧐 Almost 12 years have passed.

Posted by Khabib Nurmagomedov (@khabib_nurmagomedov) Jan 7, 2020 at 10:06 PST

“Nurmagomedov does not want a meeting”

However, while Nurmagomedov is calmly preparing for his fight, Conor McGregor, who is already expecting a fight with Donald Serrone on January 19, does not forget to regularly hurt his former rival in social networks and the media, while continuing to prepare the audience for a possible revenge.

“He is trembling. This man is trembling. Nurmagomedov does not want a second meeting. Habib simply does not want such a fight ... He is simply afraid. But everyone wants a rematch. This is what Dana White wants, and we all want this. He can run from this fight, but he cannot hide. I look forward to seeing you, ”the Irishman quotes MMA Fighting.

McGregor also emphasized that in the first fight with Habib he won the opening round. According to Conor, he dominated the stance, while the rival dominated the ground.

“In the second round, he was lucky to catch me with a blow, and he got a great five-minute. After I won the third round. Even during the exchange in the fourth, I had an advantage until the moment I fell for a strangler. Our fight took place after a terrible training camp. I just did not show respect for those people who believed in me, ”McGregor added.

The manager of the Russian Ali Abdel-Aziz answered the Irishman for Nurmagomedov. He said that his client is currently simply not interested in a fight with McGregor.

“Dana White is the greatest promoter in history, I really respect him. He made people talk about Conor. Well, let him do his job. He can promote fights. He has his own plans, and Khabib has his own. Sometimes our interests diverge, and sometimes we come to an agreement. But we are not interested in the fight with McGregor. Moreover, I think he can lose to Donald Cerrone, ”the MMAJunkie manager quotes.

As the next likely opponent, Abdel-Aziz named Justin Gatji, who won the last three fights in the first rounds.

“He wins by knockouts. Following the logic, he should be the next contender for the title. Justin is third in the UFC ranking. The second number, Porrier, has already received the title fight. So it’s the fight with Habib that makes the most sense for Gatgy and his career. McGregor wants nothing to do with Justin. We understand that Gatgy can win ahead of schedule, and we know that Conor is one of those fighters who are ready to give up. Therefore, the UFC takes the right step when it does not organize their meeting. Gotji will simply kick Konor’s ass, ”Adbel Aziz emphasized.

“We are again trying to arrange a meeting between Habib and Ferguson”

However, White did not give up hopes of organizing a high-profile revenge and once again stated that McGregor could meet with Nurmagomedov in 2020. Moreover, the Irishman is even ready to replace Ferguson.

“In 2020, Conor wants to fight three times. He hopes that if he defeats Cerrone, he will be able to meet with Habib. You know Conor, he thinks the way he thinks. We are again trying to arrange a meeting between Habib and Ferguson. Conor is confident that he will defeat Serrone and in which case he will be ready to meet with Nurmagomedov in lightweight, ”White quotes BJPenn.

At the same time, Conor manager Odi Attar noted that a rematch between his client and Nurmagomedov could well pass in Moscow. According to him, McGregor is very popular in Russia. Therefore, he called the future revenge "an event of gigantic proportions."

Meanwhile, father and coach Khabib Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov once again spoke about Conor and urged him to meet not with his son, but with his other student, Islam Makhachev.

“I forgave him. True, he behaves the way he behaves. He called the whole nation cowards. Any Dagestan, not only Khabib, could have landed him on the asphalt. But that would not be good. Once I came to visit - let him stay, but behaves with dignity. I was absolutely not touched by his words. I have not been touched by his words for a long time. If he wants to say something, then let his father do it, ”quoted Sport-Express, the senior executive of Nurmagomedov.

However, not only McGregor, but also the legendary fighter Georges Saint-Pierre, who announced his retirement in 2019, does not lose hope of meeting the current champion. Both athletes have repeatedly stated that they would like to organize an in-person duel, and at the beginning of the new year, Canadian coach Firas Zahabi recalled this idea.

“I think there is such an opportunity. Listen, I do not want to speak for him. But I do not think he is done. He loves the spirit of competition so much that he wants to return as soon as he sees a fighter whom everyone considers invincible. Habib is just like that. But the fight should go in the weight category up to 165 pounds. Will the UFC organize such a fight? This is a question, ”Zahabi said in an interview with YouTube channel Fight Tips.

It is worth adding that sometimes Nurmagomedov receives completely unexpected challenges. So, recently a 40-year-old resident of the Peshkun region of Bukhara region addressed Khabib through the president of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev. One of the main conditions for the fight, the man called a mandatory medical examination for both him and Habib. Nothing is known about the champion’s reaction to this proposal.