Khabib Nurmagomedov is looking forward to squaring off with Tony Ferguson at UFC 209 but is wary of the increased attention he has been receiving as of late.

Nurmagomedov spoke to Ariel Helwani on Monday’s episode of The MMA Hour and discussed his upcoming interim lightweight title fight with Tony Ferguson at UFC 209. Reiterating previous comments made regarding why he feels the fight should have been made the headliner, the Russian took the time to discuss what he feels will happen once he has dispatched of the nine-fight streaking Ferguson.

“The Eagle” is Russia’s biggest MMA star and a supremely confident man. And why not? He has never been beaten. Additionally, the Dagestan native currently rides an eight-fight win streak of his own and is regarded among the UFC’s most talented stock.

Should Khabib Nurmagomedov push past Tony Ferguson on Saturday, the most lucrative of fights in MMA (and among those in combat sports) will surely await him. Incumbent champion Conor McGregor currently stands above the Russian and his opponent, and following their five-round contest on Saturday night, one man will edge closer to getting their mitts on the lightweight title. With all of this comes a level of anxiety for the Russian, who holds the unique ambition of becoming the UFC’s first Muslim champion. Fame, it seems, is one of the only things which the #1 ranked lightweight in the promotion is genuinely worried by:

“Now UFC gonna try to make my name big; now, I understand.” said Nurmagomedov.

“I worry about famous – of course I want the belt, but I understand with belts coming crazy attention. To be honest, I worry about this, because I like when people don’t know me. When all the time people coming, talking about fights, taking about fights, fights or talking about MMA.

“I can talk with people in other stuff, not only MMA. But sometime, I’m tired about this. But I understand. MMA is like crazy now. This is not like five years ago, 10 years ago. Now MMA is like one of the biggest sports in the world. I think after this fight it’s gonna change a lot of stuff.”

Nurmagomedov vs. Ferguson promises to be one of the closest contests in recent memory. The winner will undoubtedly see their stock soar, and the inevitability of their name becoming familiar to many will be inescapable come a lightweight title unification bout with the division’s champion, Conor McGregor.