Khabib open to July return, vows to 'smash all of them'

It appears UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov will be returning to the Octagon sooner than expected.

Nurmagomedov typically does not fight during the summer months, as he observes Ramadan, which this year is running from April 23 to May 23. But he said Wednesday that he could return as early as July.

"July, I'm gonna be ready," Nurmagomedov wrote on Instagram. "Stop talking about me, this is corona time, when Khabib time come, I smash all of them."

Nurmagomedov withdrew from his UFC 249 bout against Tony Ferguson last month due to coronavirus-related travel restrictions. The Russian received a lot of criticism from fans, while Ferguson called for the promotion to strip him of his belt.

Nurmagomedov, who most recently competed last September in a submission victory over Dustin Poirier, is undefeated at 28-0 and is expected to fight the winner of the interim title bout between Ferguson and Justin Gaethje, which will headline UFC 249 on Saturday in Jacksonville.