Tony Ferguson: Khabib Nurmagomedov 'bailed out' on UFC 249 title fight
Tony Ferguson isn’t buying Khabib Nurmagomedov’s reason about his circumstantial fallout from UFC 249.
On Wednesday, the UFC lightweight champion confirmed that he’s out of the April 18 event because of a travel ban in Russia, where Nurmagomedov currently is on lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic.
To Ferguson, Nurmagomedov had the opportunity to fly back to the U.S., where he originally was stationed at American Kickboxing Academy before California was issued a stay-at-home order last month. However, during a recent stint in Abu Dhabi, Nurmagomedov (28-0 MMA, 12-0 UFC) instead flew to Dagestan. \
Ferguson (25-3 MMA, 15-1 UFC) thinks the move was intentionally done to get out of the fight.
“Khabib, I believe he already knew that he wasn’t going to fight,” Ferguson said in an ESPN interview.
Ferguson later added, “He bailed out, man. He bailed out.”
Ferguson took shots at Nurmagomedov and former champion Conor McGregor, hurling expletives in each respective rival’s direction.
“Khabib and Conor run around with their tails between their legs like a (expletive) dog,” Ferguson said. “I run with the dogs, man. These guys aren’t dogs, man. They’re a bunch of (expletives). Khabib is a (expletive).”
Judging by one remark, Ferguson doesn’t seem thrilled with the prospect of fighting anyone other than Nurmagomedov or McGregor (22-4 MMA, 10-2 UFC).
“Whether or not it’s Khabib, whether or not it’s (expletive) Conor, I’m all for just whooping somebody’s ass,” Ferguson said. “I already beat the top five in a round robin, and now they want me to reset. They want to give me another top five? I don’t (expletive) think so. I’m a champion already.”
For the fifth time in their UFC careers, Nurmagomedov were set to fight – and for the fifth time it is off.
Numerous fighters, including top UFC contenders Justin Gaethje and Dustin Poirier, volunteered their services on social media following news of Nurmagomedov’s unlikely participation.
It remains publicly unknown if UFC 249 currently has a location as UFC president Dana White remains tight lipped.