Even though it has yet to officially start, 2020 is already shaping up to be one of the most exciting UFC years in history. From the return of Conor McGregor in the Octagon to Khabib Nurmagomedov’s fight against Tony Ferguson, we’ll surely be treated to some great fights. Even though McGregor is always the most interesting of the bunch, Nurmagomedov’s next fight is generating a lot of attention.
Why? Well, the undefeated champ who recently unified the lightweight titles may be up for the biggest challenge of his career. He’ll have Tony Ferguson against him, a fighter currently on a roll who holds the record for most consecutive UFC wins. Ferguson has won 12 of his last fights including a win against Donald Cerrone earlier this year. UFC predictions experts have Nurmagomedov as a favourite, of course, but that doesn’t mean a thing in the Octagon. He may be the undefeated champ, but Ferguson is one of the best lightweight fighters in the UFC of all time.
Scheduled for April 19, 2020, this isn’t the first time these two fighters have been against each other. Although they never met in the Octagon, 4 bouts were scheduled with either injuries or illnesses preventing Nurmagomedov and Ferguson from facing each other. The April bout will serve as the UFC 249 headliner and already has millions of fans excited. It’s a highly anticipated fight that has been years in the making. Nurmagomedov is making his third title defense for this match, while Ferguson is a former interim lightweight champion on a 12-match roll.
While on the terms of UFC records, Nurmagomedov has yet to taste defeat – he’s a perfect 28-0-0. The Russian UFC heavyweight champion is also a former Kombat Sambo World Champion who holds the current undefeated streak record in the MMA. On the other hand, Tony Ferguson has 3 defeats in 28 fights with 12 KO’s. Don’t let those 3 losses fool you – Ferguson is a great fighter currently riding a 12-match winning streak and is widely regarded as one of the greatest lightweights in UFC’s history.
UFC fans have been waiting on this one for years. Bookies have already provided the odds and it’s no surprise that Khabib Nurmagomedov is the favorite at -200. Ferguson is right behind at +185 which makes him a much better value bet than the Russian MMA fighter. Of course, if you don’t have your heart set on a winner, you can try your hand in numerous other exciting markets. Nearly all online bookies offer betting on the UFC/MMA and the fight between Nurmagomedov and Ferguson definitely steals the highlights early at many sportsbooks.
Who Wins the Fight?
Although the odds paint a different story, the fight is expected to be much closer. Nurmagomedov may be the favorite and there’s no question that he’s a tough opponent – after all, he’s the reigning champ. That shouldn’t undermine Tony Ferguson’s chances. As a fighter who has 12 wins in a row, he’ll surely be on his best against Khabib. One of the best lightweight fighters in the history of the UFC, Ferguson has his heart set on a title. He’s never won one except for the interim UFC lightweight title. Plus, he’s #1 in the official UFC lightweight rankings – that surely means something.
It’ll be really interesting to see which fighter comes out on top. Both have their chances – Nurmagomedov will try to rag-doll El Cucuy and swarm him, while the athletic Ferguson will try to use his array of “weapons” such as knees and elbows to take down his opponent. Only one will stand upright in the Octagon on April 19 – who will be the winner?
