Tony Ferguson labels UFC rival Khabib Nurmagomedov a ‘b***h’ for pulling out of UFC 249 due to the coronavirus pandemic and calls for the Russian to be stripped of his lightweight title
- Tony Ferguson has launched a furious tirade at rival Khabib Nurmagomedov
- Khabib announced on Wednesday that he had pulled out of this month’s UFC 249
- Ferguson believes lightweight champion Khabib is running scared of him
Tony Ferguson has labelled rival Khabib Nurmagomedov a ‘b***h* for pulling out of their UFC 249 showdown due to the coronavirus outbreak.
Russian lightweight confirmed the fight was off on Wednesday as he is stranded in his homeland due to the current pandemic.
California-born Tony Ferguson, 36, believes Khabib is running ‘scared’ as it is now the fifth time a fight between the duo has been cancelled.
Tony Ferguson has hit out at UFC rival Khabib Nurmagomedov for running ‘scared’
Khabib confirmed on Wednesday that his fight with Ferguson has been called off
Ferguson was due to take on Nurmagomedov this month but his opponent is stranded
Travel bans in Russia and the USA would have made it hard for Khabib to make it back for UFC 249 on April 18 but Ferguson believes he is hiding behind that excuse.
Ferguson said in a Twitter video: ‘Khabib, I believe he knew already that he wasn’t going to fight.
‘We scared him. He had the opportunity to come back from Abu Dhabi. He has the power to take a plane and come back.
‘This is the second time we punked him out. I’ve been doing the exact same thing for eight years. To and from work, going in there and busting my ass, making sure I’m taking care of business.
‘I’m a hitman. Khabib and Conor [McGregor] running around with their tails between their legs like a f***ing dog. I run with the dog’s man, and these guys ain’t dog. They’re a bunch of p*****s. Khabib’s a b***h.
‘I told him I was gonna mop the f***ing floor with his hat, the dude jammed out.’
Ferguson has called on the UFC chiefs to strip Khabib of his title for failing to attend the upcoming UFC 249.
He told ESPN’s Ariel Helwani: ‘Obviously I was very upset, I feel more for everybody else that’s actually going through some hard times.
‘It’s a little bit different, of course I’m a little bit p****d.
‘He had the opportunity to stay here, he was in Abu Dhabi, but had the opportunity to come back before the borders were closed in Russia. He decided to go back to Dagestan to finish his camp.
‘The guy does not want to fight, he was scared, he’s running, he should be stripped of his title.
‘I’m always down to fight anybody, anytime anywhere. The fight’s against Khabib, man, this is the guy, everybody just wants to fight him.’
Khabib’s withdrawal has left UFC chief Dana White scrambling around for a replacement
Justin Gaethje is reportedly ready to replace Khabib to take on Ferguson at UFC 249
Khabib wrote on Wednesday: ‘Staying home in quarantine and reading the reaction of people to the situation around my fight, it turns out that the whole world should be in quarantine, governments of all countries, famous people around the world urge people to follow all safety requirements in order to limit the spread of the disease, to save people, and Khabib is the only one relieved of all obligations and must demonstrate free will and train flying around the world, for the sake of fight?
‘I understand everything and I’m definitely upset more than you to cancel the fight, probably like all others, I had many plans after the fight, but I can’t control it all.
‘But Khabib still has to fight, is that what (you’re) saying?
‘Take care of yourself and put yourself in my shoes.’
With Khabib’s participation in doubt in recent weeks, it had been reported that Justin Gaethje was in place to replace the MMA superstar.
Although his replacement is yet to be confirmed, Gaethje is considered the favourite to step in despite Ferguson still considering his options according to ESPN.