Injuries, inactivity and issues with the scale have thus far proven to be lightweight contender Khabib Nurmagomedov’s greatest obstacles.
Front and center in an exclusive group as one of 33 undefeated fighters on the Ultimate Fighting Championship roster with at least one victory inside the Octagon, Nurmagomedov will compete for the first time in more than a year when he faces former Ring of Combat champion Edson Barboza in the UFC 219 co-main event on Dec. 30 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. There, the American Kickboxing Academy representative puts his perfect 24-0 record on the line in hopes of positioning himself as a challenger for either undisputed champion Conor McGregor or interim titleholder Tony Ferguson.