UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov has an opponent in mind for Daniel Cormier.

Nurmagomedov believes that there is one heavyweight fighter who can beat “DC” and that is Curtis Blaydes who is coming off the biggest win thus far in his pro-MMA career.

As seen on the preliminary card portion of Saturday’s (June 9, 2018) UFC 225 pay-per-view event at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois on FOX Sports 1, Blaydes was able to pick up a TKO win over former title contender Alistair Overeem.

The UFC light heavyweight champion will fight UFC heavyweight champion Stipe Miocic at the upcoming UFC 226 pay-per-view event.

“I think Blaydes can become UFC champion,” Khabib told documentary producer Will Harris of Anatomy of a Fighter. “He has very good wrestling, he’s young, he’s strong, he’s hungry, he has different motivation. I think he’s the new blood in the UFC’s heavyweight division.”

“I think only one guy can beat him. I think Daniel Cormier; he can beat him,” he said. “Other guys, even Stipe Miocic, I think for Stipe, he’s a bad matchup, because he pressures all the time, (he has) very good wrestling.”

“But, we’ll see. He’s the new blood,” Khabib said of Blaydes. “We have to wait (until after) July 7th (UFC 226). I think he deserves a title shot, more than everybody.”


UFC 226 is set to take place on Saturday, July 6, 2018, at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The main card will air on pay-per-view at 10 p.m. ET while the preliminary card will air on FOX Sports 1 at 8 p.m. ET and the promotion’s streaming service, UFC Fight Pass.