Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Tony Ferguson for the interim title official for UFC 209
The long saga to put together a fight between Khabib Nurmagomedov and Tony Ferguson has finally come to a close.
The two top ranked competitors have agreed to meet at UFC 209 on March 4 in Las Vegas with an interim lightweight title on the line.
UFC officials confirmed the contest on Thursday night.
https://twitter.com/ufc/status/819728171134173185
The fight came together just weeks after UFC president Dana White said that the bout was off the table when Ferguson asked for equal compensation as Nurmagomedov.
It's unclear what finally got the two sides on the same page but now Nurmagomedov and Ferguson have agreed to meet in the crucial lightweight battle on March 4.
The interim title will be introduced while current lightweight champion Conor McGregor is taking time off after a very busy 2016 while also waiting the birth of his first child in May.
This is actually the third time Nurmagomedov and Ferguson have been scheduled to meet but injuries from both fighters prevented the bout from ever taking place.
Now they meet with a title on the line as Nurmagomedov and Ferguson look to build on recent momentum. Nurmagomedov is undefeated throughout his professional career including a perfect 8-0 inside the Octagon including a third round submission over Michael Johnson in his most recent fight at UFC 205.
Meanwhile, Ferguson has put together one of the most impressive win streaks in recent history with nine consecutive victories. Most recently, Ferguson dispatched former champion Rafael dos Anjos by unanimous decision to put him into position to fight for the interim title in March.
Nurmagomedov vs. Ferguson is expected to join a growing UFC 209 card that is headlined by welterweight champion Tyron Woodley putting his belt on the line in a rematch against Stephen "Wonderboy" Thompson.
