Khabib Nurmagomedov is still undefeated at 28-0, and the question many have is who will be the first one to beat him. Well, according to Brian Ortega, that will be Tony Ferguson.
“They’re high, man,” Ortega told John Hyon Ko in a recent interview of Ferguson’s chances of beating Nurmagomedov (via The Body Lock). “It’s going to happen. Tony’s an amazing athlete, he’s a great jiu-jitsu guard player as well.
“But when I see things, there’s just certain positions that I feel like I’m better at than certain people. And vice-versa they’re better than me in other positions. But the positions that Khabib is amazing at, I’m equally as amazing at from the bottom of the coin. I feel like if anyone is going to beat him, it’s going to be Ferguson. And if not, we’re going to have to wait until I come up.”
If it is not Tony Ferguson, Brian Ortega believes his grappling expertise will be a factor and he will be the one to beat Nurmagomedov.
“I mean, that’s what it is,” Ortega added. “I feel like anyone who I wrap up is in danger. And the level of danger is extreme. I’ve been doing this for over 15 years and I’ve been going with the top-level grapplers in the entire world and finishing them and catching them. So this is something that is in the future for sure.
“Hopefully, Khabib doesn’t retire. Give me some time to go in there and let me do what I have to do to prove myself the way he proved himself. Let me become a champ and then I feel like I’ll have the right to really call him out and have it be a lot more serious than saying his name in interviews.”