UFC 165's Khabib Nurmagomedov wants title shot after he 'surprises' Pat Healy

While UFC lightweight Pat Healy is notorious for his stifling style of fighting, his UFC 165 foe, Khabib Nurmagomedov, fully intends to turn the table on “Bam Bam” Saturday night in Toronto.

Although he won’t reveal his strategy for the bout, the undefeated Russian sensation believes he’s going to surprise Healy with his ability to shut down his game.

“I’ve got a lot of surprises for this guy,” Nurmagomedov told MMAjunkie.com Radio through a translator. “I’ve got my own plan, and I’m pretty good at breaking plans as well and breaking guys in the cage.”

Even though Healy (29-16 MMA, 0-1 UFC) is a fighter with 16 losses on his professional record, his relentless style of fighting has allowed him to shut down even some of the best fighters in the world, as seen in his bout with Jim Miller at UFC 159 in April.

In order to avoid being overwhelmed like Healy’s previous opponents, Nurmagomedov (20-0 MMA, 4-0 UFC) has brought in some of the top wrestlers available who are capable of replicating any situations he may face in Saturday’s pay-per-view main-card bout at Toronto’s Air Canada Centre.

“I’ve been working a lot with Josh Thomson, Jon Fitch and Jake Shields avoiding those types of situations,” Nurmagomedov said. “I’ve been working on my defense against the takedowns and working against the cage in the clinch, so I’m ready for that situation.”

A win at UFC 165 would mark Nurmagomedov’s 21st consecutive MMA victory and fifth straight under the UFC banner.

The incredible run has “The Eagle” soaring toward the 155-pound title, and while he fully believes he has earned a shot at the belt, the 24-year-old is in no rush to challenge for the gold.

“I think I will deserve the title shot, but it’s really up to the UFC to make that decision,” Nurmagomedov said. “If they offered me another fight, I definitely wouldn’t mind that, and I’ll go along with it.”

For the latest on UFC 165, stay tuned to the UFC Rumors section of the site.

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