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Khabib Nurmagomedov acknowledges the Eagle Fighting Championship's (EFC) deficiency in organizing big MMA events. The former UFC champion has said the EFC will sign some popular fighters to its roster to increase the promotion's popularity.
After announcing his retirement last year, Khabib Nurmagomedov acquired Gorilla Fighting Championship (GFC), a Russian MMA promotion. He later renamed it as the Eagle Fighting Championship.
During his recent interaction with reporters in Russia, Khabib Nurmagomedov said the EFC is planning to sign Adriano Martins and Will Brooks. Both fighters have represented the UFC in the past.
"We are currently negotiating with two fighters. They are Adriano Martins and Will Brooks. We also consider some light heavyweights and heavyweights. We keep working and searching. Don't forget, we're just half a year old, I mean the Eagle FC - since we've started our work with this organization. We need time anyway. It's still very hard to bring in foreign fighters because of COVID restrictions. It is still an issue, but we'll keep sorting things out gradually," said Nurmagomedov (transcription courtesy: RT Sport MMA).
Martins is a 38-year-old MMA veteran who has competed in big promotions such as Jungle Fight, Strikeforce, and the UFC. The Brazilian lightweight made his UFC debut on a high with a win over Daron Cruickshank in 2013.
Martins is also the only fighter to beat Islam Makhachev in an MMA bout. He defeated the Dagestani with a stinging knockout punch at UFC 192 in 2015.
On the other hand, Brooks is best known for his incredible stint at Bellator. He defeated Michael Chandler on two occasions and also defended the Bellator lightweight title twice.
However, Brooks' UFC career was short-lived. After losing three of his four fights in the promotion, the UFC decided to release him.
Khabib Nurmagomedov on the improvements EFC has to make
Khabib Nurmagomedov seems certain about the growth of the EFC, considering it has only been a few months since its establishment. Still, the Dagestani understands that his promotion must do a better job conducting the events.
"First of all, we should really improve lighting at our events. I attend a lot of various tournaments - UFC, Bellator, PFL along with our local events held in CIS (Commonwealth of Independent States) countries, so I see we need better lighting. Also, we obviously need some really special main events - big fights that would attract more attention," said Khabib Nurmagomedov.
