Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Tony Ferguson slated for TUF 22 Finale in December

Khabib Nurmagomedov

A very intriguing bout with obvious title implications is slated for The Ultimate Fighter 22 Finale.

Khabib Nurmagomedov (22-0 MMA, 6-0 UFC) fights for the first time in 20 months when he meets Tony Ferguson (19-3 MMA, 9-1 UFC) at the Dec. 11 event, which takes place at a Las Vegas venue to be announced. However, it won’t be the headliner.

The card, which will also conclude the soon-to-debut 22nd season of the “TUF” reality series, is expected to air on FOX Sports 1 following early prelims on UFC Fight Pass.

UFC officials confirmed the bout following an initial report from the L.A. Daily News.

Nurmagomedov is ranked No. 2 and Ferguson is No. 10 in the NOS Energy Drink MMA lightweight rankings.

Nurmagomedov is undefeated since his pro debut seven years ago, and 14 of his 22 career wins have come via stoppage. However, the 26-year-old fighter has fought just once since September 2013 due to injuries and now returns from a recent ACL surgery. In his most recent bout, he earned a decision victory over Rafael dos Anjos, who went on to win the title that he still holds.

Ferguson, meanwhile, has made a steady climb up the 155-pound ranks since winning “TUF 13.” The 31-year-old, who’s currently riding a six-fight winning streak, has been asking for tougher competition since beating Abel Trujillo, Gleison Tibau and Josh Thomson in his most recent bouts.

The latest TUF 22 Finale card now includes:

• Tony Ferguson vs. Khabib Nurmagomedov
• Evan Dunham vs. Joe Lauzon
• Ryan LaFlare vs. Mike Pierce

For more on the The Ultimate Fighter 22 Finale, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.