UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov seemed annoyed with Tony Ferguson in a social media post. Specifically, Nurmagomedov said he disapproved of Ferguson for declining a title shot against Max Holloway.
Currently, Khabib Nurmagomedov is serving a nine-month ban. Even when his ban ends, he does not intend to return until his teammates’ 12-month bans are served. However, the UFC is not willing to wait out Nurmagomedov’s ban to book a lightweight title fight.
White has already said that the interim fight with Holloway was first offered to Tony Ferguson. White says Ferguson said no to the offer so Dustin Poirier was offered the title shot instead.
Nurmagomedov went to social media to voice his displeasure with Ferguson’s decision to turn down the interim title fight. “The Eagle” believes that Ferguson should have booked the fight. Nurmagomedov wrote.
“Tony, you had your chance and you missed it, and that’s your fault only. You know that I’m disqualified and can’t fight, but it’s not fair to strip me of the title. I fought three times in nine months. I won and defended my belt.”
“As a fighter, you deserve a title fight. You are a great fighter and opponent, but now you have to fight or wait for my DQ [suspension] to be over and fight (but UFC doesn’t want it). I don’t understand your offenses. If you fell down, you got to get up, not complain.”
Nurmagomedov will be okay to fight again in July, after serving his ban. Previously, fights booked between Nurmagomedov and Ferguson have fallen apart four times. The most recent title fight cancellation between the two occurred at UFC 223 in April 2018. Al Iaquinta replaced Ferguson for the title fight against Khabib, which he won by unanimous decision.
Khabib later defended his title that year against Conor McGregor at UFC 229.
