UFC Lightweight Champion Khabib Nurmagomedov is about to observe Ramadam, which lasts from the middle of May until the middle of June.
Former UFC Lightweight Champion Eddie Alvarez doesn’t observe Ramadan, but the fighter does have something he would like Nurmagomedov to pray about during that time.
“What’s funny about this whole thing is, Khabib wasn’t a champion,” Alvarez said to MMA Junkie. “Now he’s the champion after beating no. 11. Let’s just get that out in the open. He says, ‘paper champion, who’s fake champion, who’s real champion?’ You beat no. 11, and now you’re champion. So think on that. Pray on that during Ramadan. No. 11, and now you’re champion.”
Nurmagomedov won the lightweight title with a unanimous decision win over Al Iaquinta in the main event of UFC 223.
Alvarez wouldn’t mind getting a title shot, but he knows that it is up to the UFC about who gets that next opportunity.
“I seriously have no control over who gets the shot, so I don’t really focus on it,” Alvarez said. “If they want to give Dustin (Poirier) a title shot, hell, give him a title shot. Do I think he’ll do well? Probably not. But it’s not up to me. Give him a shot, let him do what he wants to do, and that’ll be that. I know, 100 percent, matchup-wise, wrestling, stylistically, I watch the champion fight a lot. I am the guy to beat the champion. Not Dustin Poirier. Not Conor McGregor. Not anyone. I understand who I lost to, who I won (against). I’m the best style matchup. The champion don’t want to fight me right now. He knows. He’s going to pick off the wounded gazelles one by one. He’s going to take the good style matchups. I understand. Take them. I’ll be waiting in the end.”
It is unknown who’ll get the next shot at the lightweight strap, but UFC President Dana White did say that Dustin Poirier is a front runner for that opportunity.
