Former UFC champion Khabib Nurmagomedov has revealed that 'big plans' will be announced at an upcoming press conference in Miami, as the Russian star continues to build his Eagle FC promotion.
Khabib's time as an active fighter may have come and gone but the impressive recent growth of his Eagle FC fight promotion means that the undefeated Russia icon won't be far from a cage.
Speaking to Red Corner MMA, Nurmagomedov hinted at some of the future plans his fight league has the works, much of which he says will be revealed at a press conference in Miami on December 15 ahead of Eagle FC 44, which will be the promotion's first event to take place in the United States.
It was revealed in recent days that former UFC champion Rashad Evans will compete on the card, while recent UFC refugee Kevin Lee is also strongly linked to fight – but as Khabib explained, the ambition and perhaps financial clout of Eagle FC is such that if even someone of the stature of Brock Lesnar was available, Khabib would be interested in striking a deal.
"It’s going to be a big press conference in Miami, we’re going to show all our card, 28 January, in Miami, we’re going to announce some big signings, it’s going to be a lot of news," Khabib told Red Corner MMA.
"They tell me, 'don’t give inside news;… but we’re very close on [signing] Kevin Lee. At the press conference we’re going to have news."
MMA promotions are a dime-a-dozen in the United States but Khabib says that he wants his league to be as far from a facsimile as possible, and even hinted that some of the weight classes might be different to those generally accepted in the current system in the United States.
"This is not about how big we make it," explained Khabib.
"We want to make it a little bit different to other leagues. We’re going to make some weights maybe different, some system we want to change.
"Not everything… just use some other systems from other sports. In my league, we’re going to change some systems. We’re going to become very big around the world. The US, here in former USSR countries, in Russia of course, the Middle East."
Some things, though, must be kept close to his chest, and to find out fans will have to tune into this week's presser in the Sunshine State – but suffice to say, there are high level discussions taking place behind the scenes.
"I can’t talk about everything because I have press conference, I’m going to come out with some big news on December 15. We can even sign Brock Lesnar if we want and he wants. We have a good position, we have big plans. Brock Lesnar, if he wants, OK, let’s go," he teased.
"Of course we know how big the UFC is, I don’t want to say some crazy things… but for leagues that are just beginning, we’re going to become promotion of the year."