Jakarta, CNN Indonesia –
Khabib Nurmagomedov successfully mastered the light class UFC. But it turns out that Khabib’s biggest enemy to doing that is shedding weight.
Khabib is known as a fighter who easily gains weight outside of the fight schedule. Therefore, Khabib’s main enemy in preparation for the fight is to be able to enter the UFC lightweight weight limit, which is 70.3kg.
In the planned duel against Tony Ferguson at UFC 209, the match was canceled because Khabib had to be rushed to the hospital one day before the match, or on the day of his weighing.
Ferguson later teased Khabib that he could not fall within the light weight limit. Ferguson then pointed to tiramisu as one of the reasons for Khabib’s failure, although Khabib denied this. Khabib said the tiramisu on the table belonged to his friend.
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Khabib is said to always trim his weight like crazy every time he experiences a fight. (AFP / KIRILL KUDRYAVTSEV)- – |
A few years earlier, Khabib had also failed to gain weight during a duel against Abel Trujillo. The fight was finally held by catchweight rules and was not counted as a fight under the lightweight class. Khabib also received a 20 percent discount from the payment he should have received.
When Khabib withdrew from UFC 249 when he returned to meet Ferguson, there were many assumptions that Khabib had difficulty in the UFC light weight formation program so he finally withdrew from UFC 249 citing the corona pandemic.
Georges St-Pierre, Khabib’s coveted opponent also believes that Khabib will have no trouble competing above the lightweight limit. GSP, who is accustomed to playing at the UFC welter and middle classes, even believes that Khabib weighs more than him on normal days.
Because of that, GSP set the conditions for fighting above the light class limit because GSP did not want to appear in the light class because of the huge weight cut and he never appeared in that class.
Khabib actually appeared at welterweight while appearing as a Mixed Martial Arts fighter in Russia. But at UFC, Khabib has not yet thought of moving up to welterweight.
Even though Khabib himself almost finished off the tough fighters in the light class. If you feel that there are no more challenges left in the lightweight class, Khabib can get new opponents at welterweight.
But if that is done, Khabib will lose the advantage of being a big figure on matchdays as seen when he appeared in the lightweight class.
Khabib Nurmagomedov will face Justin Gaethje in the race for the UFC lightweight belt on Sunday (25/10) in the morning WIB.
(ptr / har)
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