UFC interim lightweight champion Tony Ferguson is a tremendous wrestler; he won the National Collegiate Wrestling Association national championship in 2006. #1 contender Khabib Nurmagomedov is an even better wrestler. Few think ‘The Eagle’ cannot take down Ferguson. However, Ferguson is a black belt in 10th Planet Jiu-Jitsu. During a recent appearance on WFAN’s ‘Outside the Cage’ podcast, Ferguson’s coach, 10th Planet founder Eddie Bravo, said a takedown would suit them just fine.

Khabib will be the toughest guy in the lightweight division for a very long time, said Bravo, as transcribed byAnton Tabuena for BE. Conor would be an easier fight for Tony. Khabib’s going to be tough.

Nobody is doing what he’s doing with his ground and pound, with his takedowns, with his ground control, and his smashing. He’s the best, probably of all time, really. It’s a tall order, but most people are running from Khabib when they’re on the ground. They’re spending most of their time trying to get back up, trying to drag themselves up on the fence, and he just rides them and drags them down.

That’s a good strategy in certain situations. But we’re going to turn around and attack him. We’re going to thank him for taking Tony down, and we’re going to throw some fire at him. It’s going to be different. No one has done that.

I’m sure his defense is going to be tight. I’m sure he’s going to be studying rubber guard and all that, but we’re going to come there with fire. We’re going to come right at him.

Tony Ferguson fights Khabib Nurmagomedov on April 7, 2018 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. It is widely believed that by that time Conor McGregor will be stripped of his belt a second time for not defending it, so the April bout will be for the undisputed title.