After being reserved to face each other four times and having some thing hinder on each of those occasions, Tony Ferguson and Khabib Nurmagomedov seem destined not to fight. But, just in case they finally meet in the Octagon, the undefeated Nurmagomedov is a -200 favorite with Ferguson coming back at +170.
Nurmagomedov is a great 26-0 within his MMA career with 16 of those victories coming via stoppage. Khabib last competed in the Octagon at UFC 223 where he mauled Al Iaquinta.
With a master of sambo and also a black belt in judo, Khabib excels in suffocating his rival possibly more than any other fighter in the UFC. Nurmagomedov is persistent in his pursuit of the takedown, and holds the record for most takedowns in one game in UFC history (21), but is far from out of the element when it comes to striking. Khabib includes a deadly array of knees and punches which can easily set up a T/KO success.
Ferguson, the current interim champion, is 13-1 in the UFC and enters that this battle on a 10-fight win streak. “El Cucuy” is great at using his reach to his benefit in the standup game, but is a quantity striker who likes to drive the pace. He has knockout power in both hands while also displaying a varied arsenal on his feet. Ferguson is not merely a striker, as nine of the 23 career victories have come via entry. His slick motion and competitive style put opponents in awkward places that he capitalizes on.
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