Khabib Nurmagomedov returned after an extended absence to earn a decision win over Edson Barboza in the co-main event of UFC 219.
Ali Abdelaziz is the manager of Nurmagomev and he says UFC Interim Lightweight Champion Tony Ferguson is next over UFC Lightweight Champion Conor McGregor.
Abdelaziz made those intentions known through Twitter:
To be clear I talked to @TeamKhabib . Our main focus is @TonyFergusonXT he deserves the next ass whooping. He earned it. And for the former UFC champion @TheNotoriousMMA he can stay on the boxing side. Bye bye --@danawhite
— Ali Abdelaziz (@AliAbdelaziz00) January 5, 2018
What Abdelaziz says echoes a statement recently made by UFC President Dana White, who recently said that Nurmagomedov and Ferguson is a fight he wants to make. One thing that White also said is the fight could be for the undisputed UFC Lightweight Title, which would be stripped from McGregor if he doesn’t defend the title soon enough.
Nurmagomedov and Ferguson have been linked together many times in the past, but injuries seemingly got in the way each time they were supposed to meet.
