Fedor Emelianenko believes the technique in Khabib Nurmagomedov’s standup game can be refined.
Nurmagomedov has become the gold standard in MMA for all lightweights. At one time, Russia’s most prominent MMA figure was Emelianenko. Now it’s Nurmagomedov, who holds the UFC lightweight championship.
Fedor Speaks On Khabib’s Standup Game
Speaking to TASS, Emelianenko said that while Nurmagomedov takes full advantage of his strengths, he’s still lacking in the standup department (h/t Lowking.pl).
“Khabib has found his style, wins by using his strengths, ” Fedor said. That’s good because he is a UFC champion and uses his strengths. In these elements he stands above his rivals. However, Khabib must, of course, patch the gaps in its technique. For example, in the technique of punches and kicks. But he also does everything right. He also has time to polish these techniques to become even better.”
Nurmagomedov is set for a showdown with Tony Ferguson on April 18. The lightweight title fight is scheduled to headline UFC 249 inside the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY. If “The Eagle” emerges victorious, then it’ll be his third successful title defense. Many believe a second bout with Conor McGregor is inevitable if he gets past Ferguson.
Meanwhile for Emelianenko, he’s in the midst of his retirement tour. “The Last Emperor” nabbed a victory on his first tour stop in Saitama, Japan in late 2019. He earned a first-round TKO win over Quinton “Rampage” Jackson.
There’s no doubting the place of both Emelianenko and Nurmagomedov in MMA history. Emelianenko dominated the heavyweight ranks under the PRIDE FC banner for several years. Nurmagomedov is undefeated at 28-0 and he continues to build his legacy. His feats are quite impressive when you factor in that he’s just 31 years old.
Do you agree with Fedor Emelianenko’s assessment of Khabib Nurmagomedov’s standup game?
