Khabib Nurmagomedov – A Hint to a Glorious Return
Amidst the COVID-10 pandemic and the restrictions of most athletic or sports events all over the globe, the world of MMA has also taken quite a bit hit. People that were passionate about the sport and used to bet on MMA at gg.bet keep asking: “When is the UFC going to come back?” Well, the answer to that would be rather complicated.
If things would have been up to Dana White, the president of the UFC, there wouldn’t even be a need for a return – practically, because there wouldn’t have been a break in the first case. The whole company would have held all the events without any breaks in the schedules. The government, however, did not allow for it – and at least ix events from the UFC got postponed for a time that could not be determined.
The Impossibility to Fight
We don’t know when the pandemic is going to end. It might happen this summer – or it might happen next year. There are many factors to be considered in this regard, which is why we cannot be for sure of anything. However, what we can be sure of is that some of our stars are giving us some light so that we can stride across with better ease.
We are talking about Khabib Nurmagomedov, UFC, and MMA champion that was supposed to hold a match this spring. On April 19th, he was supposed to go against Tony Ferguson in the UFC 249. The fight, however, got canceled once his entry into the UAE was denied – which pretty much decided the fate of the match, as that was where he was told the match would happen.
At this point, Nurmagomedov remains in Russia, without the possibility of getting out of the country. That being said, Dana White also declares that Fight Island is something to be taken very seriously – and also implies that they will return in a month.
Further Delays to Consider
With Dana White’s claim that we will be seeing the Fight Island next month, can we expect to see the fighter as well? Things are not actually looking so bright – and that is for a variety of reasons, not just the global pandemic.
As every fan knows and is reminded every year, Khabib Nurmagomedov is a devout Muslim that closely follows with Ramadan – a religious practice that lasts from the 23rd of April until the 23rd of May. During that time, he will have to fast from sunrise until sunset. This practice can take quite a great toll on his body – which is why he will also need about 45 days to recover. Only after his body has regained all the lost energy will he be able to train once more at the caliber level of the UFC.
This is also why he plans his fighting schedule very carefully, with his fight against Ferguson occurring just a few days before Ramadan. That being said, since the new Coronavirus, unfortunately, does not care about any best-laid plans, and everything was taken off the table and dropped into uncertainty.
The Light of September
Nurmagomedov’s fight with Tony Ferguson on the 18th of April might be lost – but that does not mean the year is over. With this in mind, he is now looking forward to his next fixed date, originally scheduled in September. He also made a post on Instagram where he expresses his thoughts in regards to the match.
“September is not actually very far, although I find it difficult to believe that things will be over by September. That being said, a wise person once said: even during a time of peace, you should prepare or war.”
The post was accompanied by a workout picture showing him drenched in sweat, prepared for the next fight. If there was anyone believing that he didn’t want to fight Tony Fergusson in the first place, that picture would convince them otherwise: he was actually looking forward to it and training hard in that regard. This is why he indicated to his return to the octagon in September – in the hopes that the threat of the pandemic will be gone by then.
This fight may have been canceled, but he believes that the fight between him and Ferguson needs to take place. There have already been too many delays to the matchup. At this point, it needs to happen; not only for the fans but for the champions as well – as they were both looking forward to the match.
To Nurmagomedov, September seems like the most likely and ideal time to return. By then, not only will he be done with fall’s Ramadan, but it is expected that most of the world will have healed by then and things will slowly but surely return to normal.
