UFC 223: Khabib Nurmagomedov respects Tony Ferguson

Next weekend one of the most highly anticipated fights in UFC history will take place when Khabib Nurmagomedov takes on Tony Ferguson for the right to be called the undisputed Lightweight champion of the world. With the bout having been rearranged on four separate occasions, fans around the globe are waiting to see whether or not we'll finally get the chance to see two of the best of all time square off inside the octagon.

The event is UFC 223 and it'll go down in Brooklyn, New York, but that doesn't tell the entire story. In fact, it doesn't even tell a portion of it. These two men seem to have developed a legitimate disdain for one another over the course of the last few years, and as a result, last night's scheduled conference call descended into chaos - and we were on the line to be a part of it.

Thankfully, once we managed to ask some questions things seemed to have calmed down substantially, as the challenger Khabib was able to take a step back and discuss his respect for El Cucuy prior to their showdown.

"Yes, of course, he's a very tough guy. I think he's a good fighter, very good fighter. Ten win streak. But UFC don't give him respect, because of Conor. Tony is only interim champ, and he got upset about this, but it's okay, Tony. His personality, I don't understand this guy - he looks stupid, to be honest. He's a very good fighter, I respect him like fighter, and I'm preparing like it's going to be the hardest fight of my life."

Nurmagomedov is considered to be one of the greatest mixed martial artists on the face of the earth, and he could very well solidify that reputation with a convincing victory over Tony Ferguson next Saturday night.