Lightweight Khabib Nurmagomedov Sidelined For 6 Months With Knee Injury

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The knee injury that prevented undefeated lightwight Khabib Nurmagomedov (6-0) from a showdown with ‘Cowboy’ Donald Cerrone (11-3) at UFC 178 is much more serious than initially anticipated.

Today, Nurmagomedov’s co-manager, Mike Constantino, revealed that the injury is a torn right meniscus and is expected to keep the fighter on the shelf for six months. The translation is that he isn’t expected to return to the Octagon until 2015. This is also contingent on the knee’s progression during an extended rehabilitation period.

“I was hoping that he didn’t require surgery and it was just a bump and a bruise, but it turned out to be meniscus, so I’m a little bit disappointed to hear it was that severe,” Constantino said. “But you can’t jerk around with it. You’ve got to get it done.”

The injury was first brought to light at a medium scrum after Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 46 in Dublin. UFC President Dana White broke the news that Nurmagomedov was just signed to take on Donald Cerrone on Sept. 27 when he injured the knee during training in Dagestan.

Credit: MMAJunkie.com