Zubaira Tukhugov said that a fighting-fit Khabib Nurmagomedov would have no trouble with Sean Strickland, predicting Khabib would take him down and finish him, while noting he is 99% certain Khabib will never compete again. Tukhugov also addressed the stalled potential fight with Artem Lobov, saying Lobov withdrew from their scheduled PFL bout after seeing Tukhugov in peak condition at a pre-fight photo session, and that Lobov no longer responds to outreach. He identified Arman Tsarukyan as the most compelling matchup available to him and said he would welcome that fight. Tukhugov is scheduled to compete against Elvis Brener at an ACB JJ tournament in Moscow on July 5.
Zubaira Tukhugov has weighed in on a hypothetical matchup between a healthy Khabib Nurmagomedov and current middleweight champion Sean Strickland, stating plainly that Khabib would take Strickland down and finish him — while simultaneously acknowledging he is 99 percent certain Khabib will never fight again.
Khabib Nurmagomedov retired with a perfect 29-0 record, and Tukhugov's confidence in his former teammate is rooted in Khabib's elite grappling credentials. The 37-year-old Russian averaged an extraordinary 5.32 takedowns per 15 minutes during his career, with a striking accuracy of 48 percent to complement his ground dominance. His reputation as perhaps the most complete wrestler in MMA history makes him a natural talking point whenever pound-for-pound hypotheticals arise.
Strickland, meanwhile, holds the middleweight title with a 31-7 record. The 35-year-old American out of Xtreme Couture is one of the most active strikers in the division, landing 6.04 significant strikes per minute across his career with a 76-inch reach — 193 centimeters — giving him natural tools to keep fights standing. His takedown output of 0.71 per 15 minutes reflects a fighter who prefers to operate on the feet.
Tukhugov also addressed the collapsed fight with Artem Lobov. According to Tukhugov, the 39-year-old Irish-based fighter withdrew from their scheduled PFL bout after seeing Tukhugov in prime shape at a pre-fight photo session. Lobov, who carries a 13-15-1 record and a 65-inch reach, has since stopped responding to outreach entirely, per Tukhugov's account.
Looking ahead, Tukhugov identified Arman Tsarukyan as his most desirable matchup and said he would welcome that fight. Before any such bout materializes, he is set to compete against Elvis Brener at an ACB Jiu-Jitsu tournament in Moscow on July 5.
Why it matters
- Tukhugov's comments add fresh speculation to the long-running question of a Khabib return, even as he rates it as virtually impossible.
- The Lobov fallout leaves a chapter unresolved between two fighters with a public history linked to the Khabib-McGregor era.
- A potential Tukhugov-Tsarukyan matchup would carry significant regional and competitive weight in the lightweight division.
