Tony Ferguson said he was confident his UFC 209 matchup with Khabib Nurmagomedov would get done, even if the interim lightweight title fight sometimes looked as if it wouldn’t materialize in time for the March event.

Ferguson (20-3 MMA, 12-1 UFC) made it clear that before fighting Nurmagomedov (24-0 MMA, 8-0 UFC) in the March 4 pay-per-view co-headliner at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, he would need a more lucrative contract. “El Cucuy” wanted pay similar to Nurmagomedov, who even offered some of his own money to get the bout finalized. Ferguson declined, but after some back-and-forth with UFC brass, a deal was made.

“They met my standards,” Ferguson told MMAjunkie Radio. “Khabib’s offer I threw right out the window immediately. That was some trashy kind of thing. But we’re good to good. We’re full swing ahead. … We worked out financial terms. I’ve earned my stripes in this division. I’ve put in my time. I’ve put in my work. I’ve put in my effort, especially when no fans were watching when I didn’t have cameras on me.

“I don’t need anybody to believe in me besides myself, because every single day I go in there and I beat myself up that was so I can go out there and I can kick some ass. I know what I’m worth and I know my numbers, and that dude’s padded record is nowhere near my contention, my type of fights that I’ve had and presented to the world.”

Ferguson vs. Nurmagomedov were first scheduled to fight at The Ultimate Fighter 22 Finale in December 2015, and then again at UFC on FOX 19 in April 2016. The fighters have each been forced to withdraw from one scheduled date, though. But Ferguson is confident it will happen at UFC 209, especially considering the interim 155-pound belt is up for grabs.

A win would set up Ferguson or Nurmagomedov for a future title-unification bout with current champ Conor McGregor (21-3 MMA, 9-1 UFC). A fight with McGregor is essentially the biggest opportunity fighter could hope for, but Ferguson said he’s not focused on it.

Ferguson, No. 3 in the latest USA TODAY Sports/MMAjunkie MMA lightweight rankings, must first get through undefeated and No. 2-ranked Nurmagomedov, something no fighter has been able to do in is 24 pro fights. Despite that Ferguson said he brings skills that Nurmagomedov has yet to encounter.

“This dude has never wrestled with a California grizzly,” Ferguson said. “I’m going to come at this dude hard. I don’t know what kind of bears they have in Dagestan. I’ve said it before: I don’t care how many steaks your parents put around your neck to get the animals to play with you. I’ve been roughing it since I was little. This is a hype train I’m going to love to derail. …

“I’m a whole completely different animal, and he’s never seen anyone as ferocious as me inside that octagon. I’m going to put fear in this kid. I can’t wait to slam this dude. I can’t wait to mop the map with this guy.”

Ferguson and Nurmagomedov seem to share a mutual respect, but also a level of disdain for each other. They’ve exchanged plenty of words, a trend that almost certainly will continue.

“He’s telling me to go train and shut up?” Ferguson said. “I’m like, ‘Man, you talk too much already, son. You talk too much. You are looking at me and you responded in like 2.2 minutes, son. You’re worse than a stalker ex-girlfriend. You’re looking at me like a hawk, an eagle and I want you to do that because you’re going to be stressing about what I’m going to do.

“The pressure I’m going to use, I’m going to put so much pressure on you. … I hope that you guys make it. I’m praying that we both make it to this fight, and we can sell this (expletive) out and put T-Mobile (Arena) on the map again. I’m hyped. We might be co-main event, but I bet you the numbers are going to be better on ours. I can’t wait to play punch-face.”

For more on UFC 209, check out the UFC Rumors section of MMAjunkie.

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