Khabib Nurmagomedov will be taking on Tony Ferguson in the co-main event of UFC 209, the winner will become the UFC Interim Lightweight Champion.
“When the cage closes, I’m going to smash him,” Nurmagomedov said to MMA Junkie. “I’m going to make him tired and I want him to feel my power and feel my pressure and finish him – break his face, because this is what I do all my life. I’m fighting in the UFC. I fought before the UFC in Russia, all the time fighting tough fighters. When the cage closes, nothing is personal. I want to just finish guys.”
Nurmagomedov says he doesn’t want to fight anybody else right now, just Ferguson. That was evidenced by him turning down big money fights with UFC Champions.
“I need only Tony,” Nurmagomedov said. “I don’t need your small guys like Jose Aldo or other guys. I need real, top-level fighters.’ Because if I beat Jose or I beat Daniel Cormier, people are still talking about Tony Ferguson. That’s why I said, ‘Please give me Tony. I’m going to finish his win streak. Finish him.’ And after that, what happens? No more opponents.”
UFC 209 takes place on Saturday, March 4 from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada with Tyron Woodley and Stephen Thompson headlining.
