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Lightweight Tony Ferguson says, ‘I’m a champion in my own right’

Updated July 12, 2018 - 12:22 am

UFC lightweight Tony Ferguson is on the mend after tearing his LCL just six days before he was expected to face Khabib Nurmagomedov at UFC 223 in April. The two were expected to square off for the promotion’s interim belt.

Nurmagomedov instead faced Al Iaquinta for the undisputed championship and was victorious. Conor McGregor previously held the lightweight strap before being forced to vacate it due to inactivity.

Ferguson, who was stripped of the interim belt as a result of his injury, says he doesn’t consider Nurmagomedov the champion. The two rivals have been expected to clash four times in the past. The bout has never come to fruition.

Check out the video above.

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Contact Heidi Fang at hfang@reviewjournal.com. Follow @HeidiFang on Twitter.

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