Zubaira Tukhugov will get to compete alongside teammate Khabib Nurmagomedov after all.
He took to Instagram to announce that he will be taking on newcomer Lerone Murphy in a featherweight bout at UFC 242. The fight was first reported by Igor Lazorin.
UFC 242 takes place Sept. 7 at The Arena in Yas Island, Abu Dhabi. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN and ESPN+/UFC Fight Pass.
Tukhugov (18-4 MMA, 3-1 UFC) has not competed since a loss to Renato Moicano in May 2016. He failed an out-of-competition drug test on September 2016, when ostarine was found in his system.
Then, his involvement in the UFC 229 post-fight melee in Las Vegas following Nurmagomedov’s victory over Conor McGregor, forced him to remain on the sidelines for what was initially meant to be a year, but was reduced by 35 days due to Nurmagomedov’s protest on behalf his teammates. His team successfully argued the Nevada Athletic Commission’s failure to initially offer community service as a way to reduce the one-year suspension.
That cleared the way for both Nurmagomedov and Tukhugov to compete on the UFC 242 card together. Tukhugov will take on Manchester, England’s Murphy.
Undefeated Murphy (8-0 MMA, 0-0 UFC) has never lost in both his amateur and pro MMA career. He is coming off a first-round knockout over Manolo Scianna at Full Contact Contender 23 in May.
With the addition to the card, UFC 242 now includes:
- Champ Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Interim champ Dustin Poirier
- Edson Barboza vs. Paul Felder
- Islam Makhachev vs. Davi Ramos
- Shamil Abdurakhimov vs. Curtis Blaydes
- Diego Ferreira vs. Mairbek Taisumov
- Don Madge vs. TBD
- Bruno Silva vs. Khalid Taha
- Ottman Azaitar vs. Teemu Packalen
- Liana Jojua vs. Sarah Moras
- Belal Muhammad vs. Takashi Sato
- Muslim Salikhov vs. Nordine Taleb
- Omari Akhmedov vs. Zak Cummings
- Joanne Calderwood vs. Andrea Lee
- Adam Yandiev vs. Puna Soriano
- Zubaira Tukhugov vs. Lerone Murphy
