Khabib Nurmagomedov Releases Statement on Canceled UFC 209 Bout

UFC fighters have made their demands both public and simple; they want the biggest fights possible and they want the money that goes with it.

UFC president Dana White was not at all happy about the way that Khabib Nurmagomedov handled his weight management related medical difficulties that resulted in his fight with Tony Ferguson being canceled. “I’ve got to see how this whole thing plays out”, White said on Friday following the UFC 209 weigh-ins.

“I already got my California license, and I’m getting my Nevada license right now for boxing”.

“I thought it was a nightmare, man”, Ferguson said of his reaction to the bout’s cancellation.

UFC 209 will take place at the T-Mobile Arena on March 4.

Many viewed Nurmagomedov vs. Ferguson, however, as the most compelling fight the UFC has staged this year given Ferguson’s versatility and Nurmagomedov’s dominance in his November victory over Michael Johnson and his rising worldwide profile. “I want the money fights!’ What, are you all going to move down and fight Conor?” “I’mma get in on that”.

Nurmagomedov’s manager Ali Abdel-Aziz told MMA Fighting: “I feel bad for Tony and his camp, I really do”.

But they weren’t the highest-earning fighters on the card, however, as that honor went to main card fighters Alistair Overeem and Mark Hunt for their exciting tilt, where “The Reem” scored an emphatic knockout with some singing Muay Thai knees (watch highlights here) in the third frame.

“I’m getting exhausted of the term “money fights”, White told FOX Sports. Him missing weight for those two fights doesn’t include when he was also rushed to the hospital when he attempted to cut 26 pounds in 72 hours before the weigh-ins took place.

“Khabib’s OK. Obviously he was in the hospital for a while”. Apart from losing a half a million dollar payday from UFC 209, Chael Sonnen believes he also lost out on an even bigger money fight against Conor McGregor. That works for me. However, he knows the fight with No. 2-ranked Nurmagomedov may simply not be meant to be.