The lightweight fight that has alluded the UFC is set for its fifth attempt with Khabib Nurmagomedov and Tony Ferguson agreeing to fight in 2020.
ESPN’s Brett Okamoto reported Friday evening that Ferguson and his management group met with the UFC and have agreed to the fight on Saturday, April 18th in Brooklyn, New York. It had been reported earlier in the week that Nurmagomedov’s side had already signed their bout agreement for the fight.
Their first fight was scheduled for December 2015 but an injury to Nurmagomedov led to Ferguson fighting Edson Barboza instead.
The second attempt was for a fight in April 2016 and that time Ferguson pulled out due to a lung issue and was replaced by Darrell Horcher.
Fight attempt number three occurred at UFC 209 in March 2017 and the two entered fight week. However, Nurmagomedov was hospitalized due to issues with his weight cut and the fight was off, again.
The last try was in April 2018 at UFC 223 in Brooklyn. Ferguson sustained a serious knee injury six-days before the fight and in the end, Nurmagomedov fought Al Iaquinta after initial replacement Max Holloway could not fight.
Nurmagomedov, 31, was part of the most successful pay-per-view in MMA history when he submitted Conor McGregor at UFC 229 in October 2018 to win the lightweight title. Since that victory, he defended his title successfully against Dustin Poirier this past September at UFC 242 in Abu Dhabi. He holds an undefeated record of 28-0.
Ferguson, 35, holds a professional record of 25-3 and won Season 13 of The Ultimate Fighter in June 2011 to enter the UFC. He has a remarkable record of 15-1 inside the promotion with the lone loss in May 2012 to Michael Johnson by unanimous decision. Ferguson comes into the title fight with a twelve-fight win streak and last fought Donald Cerrone this past June where he won by TKO after a doctor’s stoppage following the second round.
