What is the UFC going to do with Khabib Nurmagomedov now? The holder of their lightweight title is coming off what could have (and may still have) been a star-making performance at UFC 229, where he bested combat sports superstar Conor McGregor to retain the belt. Their battle became the biggest selling PPV in UFC history.
But, where does the UFC go from here?
From a sporting achievement standpoint, Tony Ferguson would appear to be the man of the hour. ‘El Cucuy’ is fresh of a thrilling win over Anthony Pettis on the Khabib-McGregor undercard and is riding a stunning 11-fight win streak in MMA deepest division. But, he’s not the biggest money fight around. That position, argues UFC light heavyweight & heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier belongs to former two-division champion Georges St-Pierre.
“Matchup wise, Tony, tough, GSP, super tough; but the history and the matchup of a GSP fight, at 165. . .” Cormier said in a recent interview with Ariel Helwani (transcript via MMA Fighting). “It doesn’t have to be for a belt. This is a big enough fight that it doesn’t have to be for a title. Make it a catchweight fight. When you’ve got names like Khabib and Georges, it can be for anything. Let those guys fight.”
Of course, being teammates with the unbeaten Dagestani, Cormier can only see the fight going one way, with Nurmagomedov getting his hand raised.
“Khabib wins but this is his closest fight ever because you don’t just control Georges St-Pierre,” concluded Cormier. “But you’re asking me a loaded question because I’m never gonna say Khabib’s gonna lose.
“I think it’s a five-round decision. You don’t finish Georges St-Pierre, unless you are Matt Serra.”
At the moment, the ‘Eagle’ is under “indefinite suspension” by the Nevada State Athletic Commission, as the result of a massive post fight brawl between Nurmagomedov’s corner and supporters and Conor McGregor’s corner and supporters in the wake of Khabib’s victory on October 6th. The NSAC has yet to hand down a final verdict on either man or any of the other fighters and MMA adjacent figures involved.
Even if the commission doesn’t suspend Nurmagomedov for long, however, UFC president Dana White doesn’t seem all that bullish on the idea of GSP stepping straight into a fight with the lightweight champ.
“How does Georges St-Pierre jump over all the guys fighting in that division to face Khabib?” White said in a recent interview. “Just because all of a sudden he wants to come out and fight this guy -- he doesn’t get to do that. If Georges St-Pierre is serious, listen, I’ll give you a fight with one of these guys in the top five. If you win, you’ll be in position for a title shot.
”We don’t even know if Georges St-Pierre can make 155 pounds. You know what I mean?”
Until the NSAC is done with their investigation, potential matchmaking can’t amount to much more than talk. But after that, who knows? The potential money involved may bring about a sudden change of heart.
