Nurmagomedov: I fight for the belt, not money

There are fighters upset about not getting a title shot on a one-fight win streak, like former champs T.J. Dillashaw and Jose Aldo. Demian Maia is on a six-fight wins streak. Max Holloway is on a nine-fight win streak.

Khabib Nurmagomedov is on a 23-fight win streak. And you can add in every eligible challenger on the streets of Makhachkala, Dagestan. ‘The Eagle’ is not a prizefighter, he’s a belt fighter, as he explained during a recent interview with Champions.co.

Nurmagomedov fights the dangerous if uneven Michael Johnson at UFC 205 on November 12. UFC featherweight champion Conor McGregor challenges lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez for his belt in the main event on the same card. And then, finally, Numagomedov should get all he wants.

If he doesn’t get hurt.

I care about the belt, said Nurmagomedov to Champions.co, as transcribed by Mike Bohn for MMAjunkie. I want to finish this fight and fight for the title. I don’t care who has the title, who wins (between Alvarez and McGregor). I don’t care about money.

I know a lot of fighters fight for the money, but money is not everything for me. I know money is very important for life, but I have money. I never use MMA to make money. MMA for me is about my life, about my blood and about everything I do all my life. Money, I can make money with other stuff. I have money. I have everything. I need the belt.

The road to the belt has been circuitous, with the UFC appearing to use his potential title shot at UFC 205 as a means to get McGregor to sign on the line which is dotted.

First of all, UFC sent me two agreements for UFC 206 and UFC 205 – I signed both of them, said Nurmagomedov. Before that, UFC asked me to fight with him in October and August. Four times Alvarez didn’t take this fight. I feel the UFC a little bit used my name to make this fight, Alvarez vs. McGregor, because McGregor ask for some money, Alvarez ask for some money, that’s why this fight is not happening. Then UFC put my name and send me two contracts, two agreements.

McGregor understands, ‘Wow, this guy can beat Alvarez.’ He can put new rules. Alvarez understands I cannot take an easy fight like McGregor. I think both of them are a little bit scared. That’s why this fight happened. But, first of all, UFC use my name.

Michael Johnson is tough guy. I don’t think this fight is an easy fight. I think he has the best hands in the lightweight division. His movement is very good. He beat already Barboza, he beat already Tony Ferguson, he knocked out Dustin Poirier. He’s a tough guy. I know my style for him is very bad. I know this. He has to move too much because I can catch him and grab him, take him down and submit him or make him tired then ground-and-pound and finish him. He understands this.

Everybody understands I’m a strong wrestler and he’s a very fast boxer. For me, for fans, it’s a very interesting fight.

I feel I deserve a title shot because this is not about my UFC career, this is about my whole career. Eight-and-a-half years I’ve gone undefeated. I am undefeated, and after Michael Johnson I hope UFC gives me a title shot.

“We’ll see.

Yah we will.