LAS VEGAS — Either Khabib Nurmagomedov or Tony Ferguson will be crowned the UFC interim lightweight champion at UFC 209, with the winner of their co-headlining bout landing in prime position to score a lucrative fight against the UFC’s reigning 155-pound champion, Irish star Conor McGregor.
But with McGregor currently on hiatus while also pursuing a cross-sport boxing match against Floyd Mayweather, both Nurmagomdeov and Ferguson find themselves in agreement that the real UFC lightweight champion will be decided on Saturday night.
“I think this is the real championship fight,” Nurmagomedov said Wednesday at UFC 209’s open workouts. “I don’t care about [Conor McGregor]. You guys know his Uncle Dana give him gift. He jump over all contenders and he fight for the title. I no understand this fight. He catch [Eddie Alvarez] a couple times, he go down, Eddie Alvarez. This fight, for me, is fake fight.
“We have real fight now. This is the people’s main event. This is one of the biggest fights in 2017, of all-time in the UFC, and you guys think I think about other guys? Of course, no. I’m going to make my win streak a 25-win streak, take the belt, become the new UFC lightweight and undisputed, undefeated champion. And afterward, we’ll see what happens.”
Full read http://www.mmafighting.com/2017/3/1/14785008/khabib-nurmagomedov-tony-ferguson-isnt-a-fake-fight-like-conor-mcgregor-vs-eddie-alvarez
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