Top UFC lightweight contender Tony Ferguson recently spoke with ESPN about his disatisfaction that the fight with Khabib Nurmagomedov at UFC 209 is only for the interim title. He also responded to recent contentious contract negotiations.

It’s business I understand that,” he said, as transcribed by Jed Meshew for MMA Fighting. “But I out-performed my contract and we had a talk, management came to an agreement and now we’re fighting. I don’t like to talk too much business. That’s for the management and that kind of person. I like to do my business inside the octagon. I feel like you guys are pretty familiar with that.

I have nine fights in a row win streak. Khabib has eight fights in a row. This is the first time you guys are ever gonna see this inside the octagon. This is for an interim title. It should be for the real shit. Am I a little pissed about it? Yeah. Is Conor gonna defend his belt, that little bitch? Probably not. He’s gonna run. Go ahead. Go run. Go try to box. You’ll get your ass kicked too. And when you’re ready to come back, they’re gonna strip your belt and at 155, I’m gonna be holding it and you’re gonna be like, ‘Oh I want my belt back’ and this and that. I don’t give a shit. The fight, the real fight, is between Conor? No. Conor, sorry buddy. The fight’s between Khabib and Ferguson.

https://twitter.com/bokamotoESPN/status/822179462603153408

“>January 19, 2017

McGregor is out until May when he and long-time partner Dee Devlin are expecting their first child. The sole fight he seeks at present is a boxing match with Floyd Mayweather. He recently had to choose which belt to keep, featherweight or lightweight, and chose the latter. He never defended the featherweight belt.