Ali Abdelaziz won’t be the one to stand in the way of a potential Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Justin Gaethje fight, if that’s how the UFC lightweight title picture pans out.
Abdelaziz’s Dominance MMA management company represents many of the biggest names in the sport. Both UFC lightweight champion Nurmagomedov (28-0 MMA, 12-0 UFC) and top contender Gaethje (21-2 MMA, 4-2 UFC), are among his roster and it’s entirely possible that the pair could face off in a lightweight title clash later this year.
Gaethje is currently scheduled to fight Tony Ferguson (25-3 MMA, 15-1 UFC) for the interim lightweight title on May 9 after Nurmagomedov was unable to defend against Ferguson in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic. If Gaethje wins, it will set up a championship unification bout with Nurmagomedov and could place Abdelaziz in a potentially awkward position.
Abdelaziz has been in this exact position in the past, however – most notably when Henry Cejudo defeated Marlon Moraes for the vacant bantamweight title last year. Back then the manager decided to handle it by taking himself completely out of the equation and not attending the fight. That same scenario could potentially occur again if Nurmagomedov vs. Gaethje ever came to fruition.
“You saw (what happened when) Henry Cejudo fought Marlon Moraes before,” Abdelaziz told MMA Junkie. “If (Gaethje is) going to be interim champion, he’s going to fight Khabib for the undisputed lightweight championship. These guys work all their lives to become a champion. Who am I to step in the way to making that happen? I know Tony (Ferguson) had a problem before with (having the same management as Conor McGregor), but that’s not how I do business.
“I don’t think it’s fair for a manager or a promoter to stop a guy from having his dreams come true of becoming the undisputed UFC champion. If Justin wins, it’s a fair fight. Him and Khabib will fight.”
Abdelaziz said Gaethje “jumped all over” the chance to fight Ferguson at the scratched UFC 249 event on April 18, and remained on board for the subsequent rescheduled date of May 9. Nurmagomedov’s misfortune may have been Gaethje’s opportunity, but the situation puts the long-desired bout between Nurmagomedov and Ferguson at significant risk.
An argument exists that Ferguson shouldn’t have received a new opponent and instead should have waited until Nurmagomedov was prepared to compete to book the fight for a sixth time. Abdelaziz said wants to see the two rivals fight as much as anyone, but said it’s not his position to demand that Ferguson skip out on a payday.
“I don’t think it’s right for me to ask that, because especially Tony hasn’t fought in a long time,” Abdelaziz said. “I’m sure he has responsibilities, he has family and he needs money. If it was up to him he could’ve said yes to Justin or said he’s going to wait for Khabib. He chose to take Justin. It’s good for everybody. He gets to fight, Justin gets to fight.”
Regardless of what happens between Gaethje and Ferguson, it’s certain that Nurmagomedov will be waiting in the wings for the winner. “The Eagle” is set to begin observing Ramadan on April 25 and only after that period will he be able to train to the point of preparing for a fight.
Although the UFC’s annual stop in Abu Dhabi in September would be a logical fit for Nurmagomedov’s next fight, Abdelaziz said that timeline is a flexible one. If the UFC deems it best, Nurmagomedov could potentially be ready to unify the 155-pound belts as soon as the start of August.
“I think he can be back in August,” Abdelaziz said. “He told me originally the UFC had scheduled a San Francisco fight, I think it was August 1. He can fight there, it’s no problem. It doesn’t have to be September. But, as you know, (in) September they always have this Abu Dhabi card and I’m sure the UFC wants him to fight there.”
Ali Abdelaziz wouldn't stand in way of Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Justin Gaethje UFC title unifier
