All signs point to Khabib Nurmagomedov defending his lightweight title at UFC 242 in Abu Dhabi in September. There, the expectation is that he will take on the interim lightweight champion, Dustin Poirier. However, “The Diamond” said he wasn’t sure what the holdup is for why the contracts have been sent out.
“Everything is pointing to it happening in Abu Dhabi, September 7, me and Khabib,” Poirier said on MMA Junkie Radio. “I’m not sure what the holdup is or what’s going on. I have no clue.”
However, according to Nurmagomedov’s manager in Ali Abdelaziz, he says it is close, according to ESPN’s Brett Okamoto.
“We are close. Good news coming very soon,” Abelaziz said to Okamoto.”And if all goes to plan, I think Khabib will fight Georges St-Pierre at the end of the year.”
St-Pierre last fought back at UFC 217 where he submitted Michael Bisping to become the new middleweight champion. There, he won his second UFC title in a different division and announced his retirement from the sport earlier this year. However, before his retirement he asked the UFC for a fight against Nurmagomedov, but it never came to fruition.
Nurmagomedov, on the other hand, is still undefeated at 27-0 and is coming off of a submission win over Conor McGregor at UFC 229. Before that, he beat Al Iaquinta by decision to win the UFC title.
