Conor McGregor Should Fight Khabib Nurmagomedov For The UFC Lightweight Strap, Not Tony Ferguson

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bUQikh_e8sU

Khabib Nurmagomedov put on one of the best performances of 2017 by systematically crushing the dangerous Edson Barboza for 15 minutes at UFC 219. The first minute looked like Barboza was going to do his thing by chopping at Khabib’s leg with some heavy kicks, but Khabib walked forward, upright like an angry bear, then took him down and beat on him with a chilling confidence. Khabib knew what he wanted to do, did it, and along the way, he reminded the world why he’s one of the best in the UFC.

“That was my most dominant performance to date,” he said to Joe Rogan following is thrashing of Barboza. “I am 25-0 and that is the real belt. Conor and Tony are nothing. It does not matter to me which one I get next. If the UFC will allow me, I will fight them both in the same night. I want the title fight in April.”

Lightweight champ Conor McGregor and interim lightweight champ Tony Ferguson are brilliant fighters, we know this. But both men come out of their fights bloodied and in Conor’s case, sometimes on crutches. They go through battles, while Khabib Nurmagomedov grinds you into a sausage then eats you. To Khabib, a man is just protein, and he’s hungry.

Of course, to Khabib’s statement, Ferguson released one of his typically dense tweets saying he’ll fight the Dagestani (a match that’s already fallen apart at the eleventh hour twice over the years), then move to welterweight while Conor spends his money. That would be a great fight. I’d watch the hell out of it. But at this point, something more official needs to shake out. Khabib and Tony deserve to fight for a non-interim title, or they deserve a McGregor payday after being on top of the lightweight division for years while McGregor has taken over the world and division with a single victory at 155. McGregor has also held four belts in his career, never defending a single one.

But, Ferguson has proved to be a nonexistent draw. His lone headlining PPV, UFC 216 did 200,000 buys, and his trash talk, tweets and everything about his persona is relatively cringeworthy (it’s MMA, after all). Simply put: the man is as dangerous as they come in the Octagon, but he’s not making fans tune in. That’s a shame. He’s a fun fighter to watch.

But Khabib is a draw. Both in Russia and in the US where fans chanted his name at UFC 219. Look at his hero’s welcome after his UFC 205 drubbing of Michael Johnson.

Conor McGregor vs. Khabib Nurmagomedov is big anywhere, a true international fight between a worldwide superstar and someone adored by MMA fans. Wait, hold on a second. Let’s take a few more looks at what Khabib does to professional fighters:

So why should Conor McGregor choose Khabib over Tony, the rightful next in line? Especially when Khabib could possibly take him down and punch him into an Irish stew? Because he’s Conor McGregor. A dangerous fight against Tony Ferguson won’t pack a stadium in Russia. Hell, it could prove to be one of McGregor’s lowest PPV buys. And what if he loses, which is a real possibility for Mac? The fight to make is against Khabib. If you have to pick a poison, choose one that will taste like money as you gulp it down.

Realistically, the only way Conor soundly defeats Khabib is by deading him in the first 13 seconds like he did Aldo. After that, it’s over. No one has been able to touch Khabib. He’s undefeated, and it’s the perfect storyline for Conor’s first-ever title defense. “Can Mystic Mac end one of the greatest winning streaks in the sport?”

So far, he’s been silent.

Realistically, McGregor will continue to sit out and Ferguson vs. Khabib will be made, again. Neither man will truly benefit from the fight, while hardcores and Khabib fans tune in, but it will be a missed opportunity for a Russia vs. Ireland event. A true spectacle. Here we have a terminator, walking down and smashing people. Neutralizing professional fighters and coming out utterly unscathed.

The time is now. The hype is real. Conor McGregor can do whatever he wants, and Ferguson, unfortunately for him, is an extremely tough fight that no one cares to see. The UFC in 2017 proved that they want to make the biggest fights possible, and outside of Diaz/McGregor III, Khabib vs. Conor is the biggest fight they can make at the 155-pound limit.

Khabib. He deserve this.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sLxWfUE6Va4