Top UFC lightweights spar on the phone before UFC 209

The amount of time it has taken for the UFC lightweight showdown between Tony Ferguson and Khabib Nurmagomedov to become a reality has done little to dampen the vitriol between the top contenders.

In fact, the rhetoric leading up to one of the most anticipated lightweight fights in years at UFC 209 on Saturday at T-Mobile Arena is only getting more spirited as the fight finally approaches.

Ferguson, however, tried his best to downplay the drama in a conference call promoting the interim title bout featuring both fighters.

“Well, for myself, this is another fight,” said Ferguson, who has won nine straight fights. “This is nothing different. There’s no other difference besides he’s another name on that wrestling chart, man. I’ve always looked at it that way and I’m never going to stop, no matter how much clout and how much people feed it up to be and how big a head everybody else has. I’m going to keep doing the same thing, which is being me and letting myself flow inside that octagon and nobody’s going to stop me on my way to victory.”

He couldn’t maintain such level-headedness very long, particularly with both fighters interrupting each other at every opportunity.

“This dude is trying to take food off my table, bro,” Ferguson said. “He’s talking (expletive), so of course, I’m going to get heated. This is a fight. This isn’t Checkers. This isn’t a regular game. This isn’t Connect Four. We’re out there slinging leather, man. This dude’s going to get cut.”

Nurmagomedov, who is 24-0 as a pro and 8-0 since entering the UFC, spent much of the call accusing Ferguson of trying to get out of the fight that was first booked for December 2015. Nurmagomedov was injured and forced to pull out of that bout.

Ferguson then had to withdraw from the rematch in April 2016 because of injury. Nurmagomedov insists it was his work behind the scenes that made the fight finally come together.

“I am very excited about this fight because this is what I want all my life and March 4 my dream is coming true,” he said. “I’m going to make history. I’m going to break this guy. He thinks he’s tough but when cage closes and me and him are alone inside the cage, I’m going to break this guy.”

Ferguson wasn’t impressed.

“You ain’t going to break (expletive),” he fired back. “The only thing that’s going to break is your heart after I kick your (expletive).”

The interim belt was created for this fight because lightweight champ Conor McGregor is on a hiatus as he awaits the birth of his first child. That means the winner is likely to get a huge payday in a title unification bout against McGregor.

First things first, however. Ferguson said the anticipation for the Nurmagomedov fight and all the talking will alter how he approaches the bout.

“Look, man, if somebody doesn’t piss me off, I’ll finish him in the first round,” Ferguson said. “This dude pissed me off, I’m going to drag him into deep waters and he’s dealing with a hammerhead.”

Nurmagomedov’s insistence that Ferguson tried to get out of the matchup by asking for other fights and then negotiating for a bigger payday appeared to be the source of the most frustration for Ferguson.

“There’s nobody running away from this fight,” Ferguson snapped. “There’s nobody (expletive) running from you, absolutely not. I’m staring at you right in the eyes. Dude, you’re a punk. You’re a (expletive) bully. You’re a (expletive) bully just like everybody else at (American Kickboxing Academy). All you guys do is talk (expletive). You go ahead. Wait until (Saturday).

“Wait, just wait.”

The time for waiting is almost over.

UFC 209 is headlined by a welterweight title rematch between Stephen Thompson and champion Tyron Woodley, who fought to a draw at UFC 205 in New York back in November.

ST. PIERRE SPEAKS

Former UFC welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre officially announced his comeback to the UFC earlier this month.

He made his first comments about coming out of retirement in a video posted on the Instagram account of his sponsor Hayabusa late last week.

“I think for me it’s time to come back because I’m 35,” he said while not date or opponent has been announced. “I just finished a training camp and I feel in the best shape of my life.”

St. Pierre, one of the best fighters in UFC history, insists he hasn’t lost a step in his three years away from competition.

“I feel better than I’ve ever been,” he said. “I feel that the Georges St. Pierre now would beat the Georges St-Pierre that was the greatest of the time that I used to compete. So I can’t wait to go back in there and show people, including myself - test my skill - and see how everything goes.”

No date or opponent has been announced for his first fight since November 2013.

Contact Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com or 702-277-8028. Follow @adamhilllvrj on Twitter.