UFC 249: Khabib offers hope for Tony Ferguson fight – ‘give me location … I will come 100 per cent’
- ‘This is not regular fight, how is it 16 days before and I don’t know location? This is not professional,’ says lightweight champ
- ‘The Eagle’ laughs off Ferguson’s notion he can take a private plane out of Russia – ‘do I call Vladimir Putin? Donald Trump?’
The Khabib Nurmagomedov vs Tony Ferguson saga has taken another twist, with the UFC lightweight champion seemingly walking back the notion he’s definitely out of the fight.
In an interview with ESPN’s Brett Okamoto, Khabib made an impassioned defence of his insistence on staying in his native Dagestan in Russia, where flights are grounded. But he offered some hope the main event of UFC 249 on April 18, originally set for Brooklyn, could still happen somewhere in the world.
“Every day I train morning and night, I have gym in my house,” he said. “I am one of the biggest stars in UFC. I am undefeated, undisputed lightweight champion. This is not regular fight. How is it 16 days before the fight and I don’t know the location? This not professional. Even Tony, a couple of days ago, he said if I don’t have location I not gonna sign contract. He say this, not my words, but no one pay attention.
“Give me location. I have to come. I have to jet lag. Different climate. I have to cut weight, focus, finish my training camp. Too many stuff. Right now if they give me location, if I can come out from Russia and go to any country like US, Abu Dhabi, doesn’t matter. I’m gonna fight 100 per cent.
“Just give me location. Every day I send Dana White message, ‘Hey, where is my location?’ Too many questions, I don’t have answer. I understand people upset because this dream fight for fans, my dream fight. I lose money, nobody lose like I lose, I lose so much things.”
Khabib had already hit back at fans criticising him in an angry Instagram post this week, where he defended his decision to quarantine with his family in Dagestan.