Zubaira Tukhugov gave a wide-ranging interview in which he stated that a training Khabib Nurmagomedov would not even feel Sean Strickland as an opponent, predicting Khabib would take him down and finish him. Tukhugov also addressed his long-running standoff with Artem Lobov, saying Lobov withdrew from their planned PFL bout after seeing Tukhugov in peak shape at a pre-fight photo session, and that Lobov has since gone silent and no longer pursues the matchup. He named Arman Tsarukyan as the one opponent who would genuinely challenge him, and noted he will compete against Elvis Brener at an ACB Jiu-Jitsu tournament in Moscow on July 5.
Zubaira Tukhugov made bold claims about his teammate Khabib Nurmagomedov in a recent wide-ranging interview, asserting that a training-camp version of the undefeated former champion would have little trouble dispatching current middleweight titleholder Sean Strickland.
Tukhugov argued that Khabib would simply take Strickland down and finish him, describing the matchup as one the Eagle would not even feel. Khabib, 37, retired in 2020 with a perfect 29-0-0 record and remains one of the sport's most dominant grapplers on paper, averaging 5.32 takedowns per 15 minutes across his career with a striking accuracy of 48 percent.
Strickland, 35, holds a 31-7-0 record and currently sits atop the middleweight division. The American southpaw out of Xtreme Couture is one of the most active strikers in the sport, landing 6.04 significant strikes per minute, and carries a 76-inch reach — 193 centimeters — that gives him a considerable frame for the division.
Tukhugov also revisited his prolonged standoff with Artem Lobov, claiming Lobov pulled out of their planned PFL meeting after seeing Tukhugov in peak condition at a pre-fight photo session. Lobov, 39, competing out of SBG Ireland under the banner of The Russian Hammer, carries a professional record of 13-15-1 and has averaged 3.52 significant strikes landed per minute in his career. Tukhugov said Lobov has since gone quiet and no longer pursues the fight.
When asked which active fighter would genuinely test him, Tukhugov singled out Arman Tsarukyan as the one opponent he views as a real challenge.
Why it matters
- Tukhugov's Khabib commentary keeps the retired champion's name in circulation at a time when crossover matchup speculation remains common.
- The collapse of the Lobov PFL bout leaves a personal rivalry unresolved, with Tukhugov publicly calling out Lobov's reluctance.
- Tukhugov competes next on July 5 against Elvis Brener at an ACB Jiu-Jitsu tournament in Moscow, keeping himself active ahead of any future MMA assignment.
