Cormier: Opponent change 'blessing in disguise' for UFC on FOX 19's Nurmagomedov

Daniel Cormier said it could ultimately prove beneficial for Khabib Nurmagomedov that he’s not coming back to fight Tony Ferguson at UFC on FOX 19.

Cormier (17-1 MMA, 6-1 UFC), who is a teammate of Nurmagomedov at American Kickboxing Academy in San Jose, doesn’t feel that way because he thought “The Eagle” would have lost to Ferguson, he said. It’s because after a two-year layoff he wants to see his training partner ease back into the sport.

Nurmagomedov (22-0 MMA, 6-0 UFC) was scheduled to headline Saturday’s UFC on FOX 19 event against Ferguson before “El Cucey” withdrew due to injury on short notice. That opened the door for Darrell Horcher (12-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC) to step in for a 160-pound catchweight fight.

It’s not a matchup likely to move Nurmagomedov, No. 2 in the latest USA TODAY Sports/MMAjunkie MMA lightweight rankings, any further up the pecking order. However, it’s one that will familiarize him with competition again after extensive time off and multiple significant injuries.

“This could be a blessing in disguise for him because he’s been away for so long,” Cormier told MMAjunkie. “He’s been away for so long. Maybe this is what he needed. It’s like a boxing fight where a guy’s been away for a really long time and he just needs a fight.”

UFC on FOX 19 takes place at Amalie Arena in Tampa, Fla. The card airs on FOX following early prelims on UFC Fight Pass.

The main card matchup between Nurmagomedov and Horcher has the most lopsided odds on the card (all in Nurmagomedov’s favor), but it’s still a risky fight that, in the event of a loss, could cause irreparable damage to the worth of the Dagestan-born athlete.

Cormier can relate to that situation. The current UFC light heavyweight champion was supposed to face Rashad Evans at UFC 175 in February 2014. However, just 10 days before the event Evans suffered a knee injury and was forced out of the contest.

The UFC then inked newcomer Patrick Cummins to a contract that would see him fight Cormier on short notice. Although Cummins talked plenty of trash in attempt to throw “DC” off his game, Cormier didn’t let the situation hinder him, because he finished Cummins with strikes in a mere 79 seconds.

Cormier wasn’t forced to deal with coming back from injury and the longest layoff of his career against Cummins, though, and that’s something Nurmagomedov certainly has riding against him. Cormier isn’t entirely concerned about his teammate, however, because he knows Nurmagomedov has what it takes to overcome any and all adversity.

“He just has to fight the way he knows how to fight,” Cormier said. “Khabib is a veteran of the sport now. This guy is 22-0 (in MMA), 6-0 in the UFC. There’s no secret potion or secret element to getting Khabib prepared for this fight. He just has to do what he knows how to do.”

For more on UFC on FOX 19, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.