Zubaira Tukhugov says Khabib Nurmagomedov is currently training twice a day and is in outstanding shape, predicting he would take down Sean Strickland and finish him with ease — though Tukhugov remains 99% certain Khabib will never compete again. Tukhugov also revealed that Artem Lobov pulled out of their planned PFL bout after seeing him in peak physical condition at a pre-fight photoshoot, and that Lobov has since stopped responding to messages from promotions and managers. He named Arman Tsarukyan as the one opponent he genuinely respects as a challenge, saying he would welcome that fight if he can get back to top form. Tukhugov is scheduled to compete against Elvis Brener at an ACB JJ tournament in Moscow on July 5.
Zubaira Tukhugov has weighed in on Khabib Nurmagomedov's physical condition and a potential return, while also revealing that a planned PFL showdown with Artem Lobov appears to have collapsed before it ever got started.
Tukhugov stated that the undefeated Khabib, now 37, is currently training twice a day and is in exceptional shape. Despite that, Tukhugov placed the odds of Khabib actually competing again at just one percent, describing the retirement as effectively permanent. Still, he was emphatic that a healthy Khabib would present no problems against current middleweight champion Sean Strickland, predicting the Eagle would take Strickland down and finish him with relative ease. Khabib retired with a flawless 29-0 record and averaged an extraordinary 5.32 takedowns per 15 minutes across his career, a number that lends some weight to the hypothetical Tukhugov is painting.
Strickland, the reigning middleweight champion at 35 years old, carries a 31-7 record and is one of the busiest strikers in the sport, landing 6.04 significant strikes per minute. His grappling defense would face a severe test against any version of Khabib, though the matchup remains entirely in the realm of speculation.
The more immediate story involves Lobov. Tukhugov claims the 39-year-old Irishman, who holds a 13-15-1 record, withdrew from their scheduled PFL bout after seeing Tukhugov's condition at a pre-fight photoshoot. Since then, Tukhugov says Lobov has gone dark, ignoring messages from both promotions and management.
Why it matters
- Khabib's training activity continues to generate attention despite Tukhugov putting a near-zero chance on any comeback
- The Lobov situation leaves a notable PFL booking in limbo with no clear resolution
- Tukhugov identified Arman Tsarukyan as the one fight he genuinely respects as a challenge, signaling where his ambitions lie if he returns to top form
- Tukhugov himself is scheduled to compete at an ACB JJ tournament in Moscow on July 5 against Elvis Brener
