Published 17:00 IST, February 13th 2020
Khabib Nurmagomedov receives valuable advice from MMA legend ahead of Tony Ferguson fight
Heavyweight legend Fedor Emelianenko praised UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov but said that the Russian needs to work on his striking technique.
- SportFit
- 3 min read
Khabib Nurmagomedov is one of the biggest grapplers in the world and is so good at what he does that he holds an astounding record of remaining undefeated in 28 matches. And while the beast from Dagestan is the most popular Russian fighter right now, there was a time when Fedor Emelianenko happened to be Russia’s most prominent MMA figure. Emeilianenko considers Khabib like his mentee and has given him more tips to succeed in the future.
Fedor Emelianenko on Khabib Nurmagomedov’s standup game
In an interview with TASS, Fedor Emelianenko offered a few words of advice for the UFC lightweight champ, Khabib Nurmagomedov. And while the heavyweight legend was all praises for the Russian, he did mention that Khabib needs to work on polishing his skills.
Fedor Emelianenko stated that Khabib has found his style and wins a fight by using his strengths. He believed that it’s good because Khabib is a UFC champion and should indeed use his strengths to the fullest. However, Emelianenko further added that while Khabib stands above his rivals in those elements, he must, of course, patch the gaps in his technique. Fedor then suggested that Khabib should work on his technique of punches and kicks. Fedor also said that Khabib does everything right and that he has the time to polish those techniques to become even better.
UFC 249: Khabib Nurmagomedov faces his biggest challenge in Tony Ferguson
Fedor Emelianenko's advice might come in handy for Khabib Nurmagomedov as he has a big test ahead of him. Khabib is set to take on lightweight contender Tony Ferguson on April 18 in a championship fight which is scheduled to headline the UFC 249 event inside the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. A win for Khabib Nurmagomedov will mark his third successful title defense as a champion. Many speculate a rematch with Conor McGregor to be his next UFC fight if he gets past Tony Ferguson. However, Khabib continues to reject the idea of a fight with the Irishman, despite rumours of being offered gigantic amounts of money to compete. Conor McGregor, on the other hand, has been gunning for a rematch since his loss to the Russian at UFC 229 in 2018.
Also Read | Jon Jones Gives His Opinion On A Potential Khabib Nurmagomedov Vs Conor McGregor Rematch
Image credits: Instagram | Khabib Nurmagomedov
Updated 17:00 IST, February 13th 2020