During Tuesday’s UFC 205 press conference in New York City, UFC President Dana White announced yet another fight for the card, which takes place November 12th at Madison Square Garden. In a battle of top 10 lightweights, #1 contender Khabib Nurmagomedov will take on #6 contender Michael Johnson. Johnson is coming off of a first round knockout win less than two weeks ago at UFC Fight Night in Hidalgo, Texas, while Nurmagomedov is getting his first elite opponent in over two years, as he fought late replacement Darrel Horcher in April in his return from various injuries.
Nurmagomedov had been sent bout agreements to face champion Eddie Alvarez on either this card or the following month’s UFC 206 in Toronto, but going by his tweets, this may have been Alvarez’s defense against UFC Featherweight Champion Conor Mcgregor at MSG:
I have two bout agreements that bullshit champ refuses to sign. I got used the whole time to make Conor and Eddie get on their knees and beg
— khabib nurmagomedov (@TeamKhabib) September 27, 2016
Of course, there’s also the possibility that Nurmagomedov was added to the card with the idea that he can be an injury replacement in the main event as a worthy top contender.
