Khabib Nurmagomedov
Khabib Nurmagomedov reveals he is open to making a return to the UFC if his mother gives him permission to fight again. (Photo: SAID TSARNAYEV | Reuters)

UFC champion Khabib Nurmagomedov will be back in action on Oct. 24 as he defends his lightweight title against dangerous Justin Gaethje. It will be an interesting clash with Tony Fergusson expected to watch the event closely. "El Cucuy" has vested interest in the fight, likely to challenge whoever comes out on top.

It will be recalled that Nurmagomedov was the original opponent that Fergusson was supposed to face at UFC 249. With The Eagle unable to make it to the event, Gaethje replaced him with most favoring Fergusson. But to the surprise of many, "The Highlight" won via knockout over a presumed better-prepared Fergusson. It broke "El Cucuy's" 12-fight winning streak and Fergusson is unsurprisingly seeking a rematch.

However, that will depend on the outcome of UFC 254. If Nurmagomedov wins, there is a chance that the botched UFC 249 main event could take shape. If Gaethje wins, a rematch is likely to happen if UFC president Dana White sanctions it.

For now, the focus is on UFC 254. There is no telling what shape Nurmagomedov is and he is likely aware of what Gaethje can do inside the cage. The Russian plans to retire once he reaches 30 fights. This clash at UFC 254 would be match no. 29 for The Eagle, meaning he may be done after one more fight.

Also, it would be best to note that Nurmagomedov is 12-0 in the UFC. With a clean slate in his mixed martial arts run, the Russian is aware that a loss could happen at some point. He knows that he is not getting any younger and that the skills of any fighter can decline - including him.

   

"Nobody can be the same for long time," Khabib said via ESPN. "Nobody. Not Tony Ferguson. Not Khabib. One day, somebody beat you."

Speaking of Fergusson, Nurmagomedov believes he is done. For him, Fergusson's decline was apparent against Gaethje. Unfortunately, "El Cucuy" does not share the same sentiment. The 36-year-old is looking forward to facing Nurmagomedov or Gaethje after UFC 254.

"@TeamKhabib @Justin_Gaethje I’ll see you soon, Fathead. You Can’t Run Well & Conditioning Sucks. Only reason you feel bad is because you did bad. I Own You, Chicken # 200k & 20Pushups For The Homeless. U Two Are Managed By @AliAbdelaziz00 I’ll Make It A Point To See You Both," Fergusson said on his Twitter account.

The results of UFC 254 should be interesting with Fergusson keeping tabs. However, another fighter who could complicate things is Conor McGregor. Though he has a date with Manny Pacquiao and a warm-up fight with Dustin Poirier, it cannot be discounted that the Irishman wants a piece of the limelight - particularly Nurmagomedov and Gaethje.