Khabib Nurmagomedov faces Tony Ferguson at the TUF 22 Finale

By Damon Martin
Published

Khabib Nurmagomedov will return to action this December at “The Ultimate Fighter” season 22 Finale when he faces upstart contender Tony Ferguson in a lightweight bout.

UFC officials confirmed the bout via the Los Angeles Daily News. Officials also confirmed that while the bout is being added to the card, this is not the main event and the headliner is still to be determined. 

Nurmagomedov is widely considered the No. 1 lightweight contender with a perfect 22-0 record and six straight wins in the UFC.

The Dagestani native also holds the last victory over current UFC lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos in his most recent fight from April 2014.

Unfortunately, injuries have derailed Nurmagomedov's title fight hopes with two separate knee issues delaying his return to action over the past year. Now with his knee back to full health, Nurmagomedov is ready to start his pursuit of the title again in December.

Ferguson steps into the bout with one of the most impressive lightweight streaks in recent memory, with six straight wins, including a recent one-sided decision over former Strikeforce champion Josh Thomson.

Ferguson has been clamoring for the chance to face another top-ranked lightweight and now he'll get his chance with Nurmagomedov likely symbolizing the quickest path to a title shot.

Nurmagomedov vs. Ferguson is the third bout announced for upcoming TUF 22 Finale card on Dec. 11 with a location for the show still pending.