UFC champ Khabib Nurmagomedov opens door for July return, vows to 'smash them all'

Khabib Nurmagomedov could be available to return sooner than many anticipated after he was unable to fight Tony Ferguson at UFC 249.

The highly anticipated lightweight title fight between Nurmagomedov (28-0 MMA, 12-0 UFC) and Ferguson (25-3 MMA, 15-1 UFC) was scratched for a fifth time as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. “The Eagle” returned to his native Dagestan when the original April 18 was up in the air, and he’s been unable to leave since due to travel restrictions.

In the aftermath of all that, Ferguson was booked to fight Justin Gaethje for the interim lightweight belt on the postponed UFC 249 card, which takes place Saturday at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Fla., and airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN and ESPN+.

UFC president Dana White has said the winner of the interim title bout will unify later this year, pointing to September or October as potential date once Nurmagomedov completes observing Ramadan. The champ has a difference idea, though, and said he’s could be ready as soon as July.

“I can fight anytime, Ramadan finishes May 23,” Nurmagomedov wrote on <a href=\" Nurmagomedov has been the recipient of some backlash in the weeks since announcing he couldn\'t fight. Some have blamed him for taking a misstep in leaving the U.S., while the likes of Ferguson have called for him to be stripped and to retire from MMA. From all appearances, though, Nurmagomedov is still very much focused on fighting. He\'s posted photos and videos proving he\'s still training, and there\'s no doubt he will be keeping a keen eye on what goes down between Ferguson and Gaethje on Saturday.