UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov has a lot of options available to him for his next fight after defeating Conor McGregor in early October.
The Dagestan native could obviously earn a massive payday to step back into the Octagon against McGregor because the former two-division champion has already asked for a rematch.
Nurmagomedov could also face former interim champion Tony Ferguson, who has won 11 straight fights and seems like the most deserving person on the roster for a chance to finally face off with the undefeated Russian.
UFC heavyweight and light heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier has a different idea in mind when it comes to Nurmagomedov’s next fight.
“Khabib has a number of options,” Cormier told ESPN on Monday. “Tony is great. I don’t dislike Tony Ferguson at all. I think he’s a phenomenal fighter, this dude’s a beast. I think he’s the tougher matchup for Khabib but I say do Khabib vs. Georges St-Pierre. That’s the fight. It’s big.”
Cormier’s reasoning is not only because Nurmagomedov vs. St-Pierre would certainly be one of the biggest fights the UFC could make right now but also out of respect that the former welterweight champion would arguably offer his teammate the toughest possible challenge.
St-Pierre was a nine time defending welterweight champion before he surrendered his belt and he won the UFC middleweight title when he returned from nearly four years off to capture the belt last year.
Add to that, St-Pierre might be one of the few fighters on the entire UFC roster who could match Nurmagomedov’s incredible wrestling, which has doomed virtually every fighter he’s faced in the UFC thus far.
“Matchup wise, Tony, tough, GSP, super tough — but the history and the matchup of a GSP fight, at 165 [pounds]” Cormier said. “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.
“Khabib wins but this is his closest fight ever because you don’t just control Georges St-Pierre 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.”
Is Daniel Cormier on the money with his pick? Should Khabib Nurmagomedov face Georges St-Pierre next? Sound off in the comments and let us know!
