Khabib Nurmagomedov gets shot at UFC title, eyes Conor McGregor

Khabib Nurmagomedov’s goal since debuting in the UFC in 2012 has been simple: Become the undisputed lightweight champion.

With a 24-0 career record, Nurmagomedov is on track to completing that goal.

He is coming off a submission of top-10 contender Michael Johnson at UFC 205, his eighth straight UFC win since his debut.

On March 4, Nurmagomedov will face top contender Tony Ferguson for the interim lightweight championship at UFC 209 at T-Mobile Arena.

“When the cage closes, I’m going to smash him,” Nurmagomedov said Thursday at UFC 209 media day at the Monte Carlo’s Palm Theater. “I’m going to make him flat, make him tired. I want him to feel my power and feel my pressure and finish him. This is what I want.”

Nurmagomedov has finished four of his eight fights in the UFC.

Before his next fight was booked, Nurmagomedov showed how much he wanted to fight Ferguson by offering him $200,000 to make the fight if he could not come to terms with the UFC. The UFC booked the fight without Ferguson accepting the offer.

“I don’t know why he didn’t take this money, this is very good money,” Nurmagomedov said. “I don’t know in the USA how big this is, but in Russia this is very big money.”

Ferguson said he would have done the same if he was in Nurmagomedov’s shoes, but he was able to come to a deal with the UFC to book the fight.

The belt they will fight for is not the true lightweight crown. That belt belongs to Conor McGregor, whose future remains unclear after he became the first UFC fighter to hold two belts simultaneously after beating Eddie Alvarez at UFC 205.

A win over Ferguson will give Nurmagomedov a taste of UFC gold, but it will not complete his goal.

“What’s really important to me is the real title,” Nurmagomedov said. “I understand that if I win the interim title the UFC will 100 percent give me a fight for a real title. That’s why I took this.”

Nurmagomedov has been vocal about his desire to fight McGregor for the undisputed title, but is as unsure as anyone else what McGregor will do next.

“This is not about that, this is business,” Nurmagomedov said. “I have to fight with Tony for the interim belt. After that, there will be no question who is the best lightweight.”

Talk of McGregor and retired boxing champion Floyd Mayweather Jr. stepping into the ring has escalated, with UFC president Dana White offering both fighters $25 million each plus a percentage of the pay per view. Nurmagomedov believes it’s just talk.

“I think it’s games,” he said. “Mayweather and Conor promote each other and play games with fans and play games with the media. I don’t think this is real talk.”

If he defeats Ferguson, Nurmagomedov hopes to fight McGregor in August.

“I think the UFC will try to make this fight, but this is up to him. He makes the decision,” he said.

As Nurmagomedov sees it, McGregor has three options: a fight with Mayweather, one against the winner of Tyron Woodley-Stephen Thompson for the welterweight championship, or one against him.

“There is only one way,” said Nurmagomedov, referring to the third option.

Contact reporter Bill Slane at bslane@reviewjournal.com or 702-380-4559. Follow @bill_slane on Twitter.