Edson Barboza Reports He’s Accepted Bout With Khabib Nurmagomedov
By FCF Staff
Khabib Nurmagomedov has been campaigning for a fight with interim lightweight champ, Tony Ferguson, but Edson Barboza’s reporting that the UFC has offered him a fight with the undefeated fighter.
Nurmagomedov has yet to be signed for a fight, since he was forced to withdraw from a contest with Ferguson this past March, as a result of medical issues. More recently, the lightweight contender has argued that he should fight Ferguson next, and that champion Conor McGregor should face Nate Diaz.
Recently, however, Barboza told MMA Fighting the following:
“They offered me this fight and I accepted it,” Barboza said. “I said I’ll be ready for December 30, and it’s on him now. We’ll see what he does. I saw an interview with him yesterday and he said he’ll fight me if Conor fights Ferguson, and Dana (White) already said that fight will happen, so I believe my next fight will be against Khabib.”
“I definitely want to fight him,” Barboza added. “He’s definitely one of the best and I respect him, I respect his team. He’s definitely one of the best 155 in the world. He’s the No. 2 and I’m the No. 3, and that’s the fight that makes sense for us.”
Barboza is coming off a knockout win over Beneil Dariush in March, and has won three straight fights.