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Khabib Nurmagomedov's plans to face Tony Ferguson once again went for a toss after Justin Gaethje defeated Ferguson to capture the Interim Lightweight Championship at UFC 254.
As a result, Gaethje is now a mandatory title defense for Khabib Nurmagomedov and they're set to meet at UFC 254 in October. While no venue has been announced, Dana White stated that he expects the fight to happen at Fight Island in Abu Dhabi.
Khabib Nurmagomedov is without a doubt the greatest Lightweight Champion in UFC history - and the fact that he's dominating opponents in the "golden era" of the division only adds to his legacy.
Khabib Nurmagomedov put out a warning to Justin Gaethje on social media, telling him that he's like nobody he's ever faced before:
Does Justin Gaethje have the highest chance of beating Khabib Nurmagomedov?
Before UFC 249, most fans felt that Tony Ferguson was the only person in the Lightweight division who had a chance of beating Khabib Nurmagomedov. However, after Justin Gaethje outclassed Ferguson this past April, many felt that Justin Gaethje has what it takes to withstand Khabib Nurmagomedov's pressure.
Ultimately, it all boils down to how Gaethje manages to deal with Khabib Nurmagomedov's relentless pressure and world-class wrestling ability. Khabib Nurmagomedov has outwrestled All-American wrestlers in the past, and although his strategy is well-known, implementing a method to overcome his wrestling is something that nobody has been able to do so far.
It's going to be interesting to see how the UFC 254 main event is going to pan out. It will see the two Champions of the 155lb division unify the titles. Khabib Nurmagomedov unified it last year in Abu Dhabi when he submitted the then-interim Champion Dustin Poirier, in round three. Will Khabib Nurmagomedov have to face adversity this time around?
