Zubaira Tukhugov stated that Khabib Nurmagomedov, who trains twice daily, would dominate Sean Strickland with ease if they ever fought, predicting he would take Strickland down and finish him. Tukhugov also addressed his long-running potential matchup with Artem Lobov, saying Lobov pulled out of their scheduled PFL bout after seeing Tukhugov in peak condition at a pre-fight photoshoot, and that Lobov no longer appears interested in the fight. He identified Arman Tsarukyan as his most interesting potential opponent and said he sees no one in grappling who could compete with him at his best, except possibly Tsarukyan. Tukhugov is set to compete against Elvis Brener at an ACB JJ event in Moscow on July 5.
Zubaira Tukhugov made headlines this week with bold claims about his teammate Khabib Nurmagomedov, insisting the undefeated former champion would dismantle current middleweight titleholder Sean Strickland if the two ever shared a cage.
Tukhugov argued that Khabib, who he says continues to train twice a day, would take Strickland down and finish him without much difficulty. The prediction is a notable one given how different the two fighters are in size and style. Khabib, 37, retired with a flawless 29-0 record and built his legacy largely on suffocating grappling, averaging an extraordinary 5.32 takedowns per 15 minutes during his UFC career. The Russian stands five-foot-ten with a 70-inch reach and competed as a lightweight throughout his professional run.
Strickland, the reigning middleweight champion, carries a 31-7 record and is one of the most active strikers in the division, landing 6.04 significant strikes per minute. The 35-year-old American out of Xtreme Couture stands six-foot-one with a 76-inch reach and has long been known for high-volume output on the feet.
Tukhugov also addressed his long-discussed potential fight with Artem Lobov, claiming Lobov pulled out of their scheduled PFL bout after seeing Tukhugov in peak shape at a pre-fight photoshoot. Lobov, now 39 and fighting out of Ireland under the SBG banner, holds a professional record of 13-15-1. Tukhugov said Lobov no longer seems interested in making the fight happen.
Looking ahead, Tukhugov named Arman Tsarukyan as the opponent who intrigues him most, adding that he sees virtually no one in grappling who could match him at his best — with Tsarukyan as a possible exception. Tukhugov is scheduled to compete against Elvis Brener at an ACB Jiu-Jitsu event in Moscow on July 5.
Why it matters
- Khabib's name returning to headlines keeps the door open for ongoing speculation around a potential comeback or superfight scenario
- Tukhugov's dismissal of Lobov as a viable opponent effectively closes the door on a fight that had been discussed for years
- Tsarukyan named as Tukhugov's preferred opponent signals genuine interest in a grappling-focused matchup with one of the lightweight division's top contenders
