“We dance the same rhythm in different ways” – Brian Ortega says he would ‘love’ to fight Khabib Nurmagomedov

As a submission artist, Brian Ortega wants to see how much of a challenge he would present to Khabib Nurmagomedov if they ever shared the octagon.

Ortega finds it appealing how proficient Nurmagomedov is in controlling a fight from the top, which makes him want to test his jiu-jitsu skills against the Dagestani.

During his recent interactions with Josh Thompson, T.J. Dillashaw, Brendan Schaub, and Mark Harley, Ortega reflected on his wish to compete against Khabib Nurmagomedov.

“As a martial artist, I would love that fight for myself. This is the reason why: He has been wrestling his entire life and he has been on top of people his entire life. My entire life, I’ve had the greatest fighters on top beating the f**k out of me.

Ortega’s desire to test himself against Nurmagomedov doesn’t stem from his competitive nature. ‘T-City’ said he wants to face the undefeated Dagestani just to see what part of his arsenal he would be able to utilize against an excellent wrestler in Khabib Nurmagomedov.

‘Let’s say ‘f**k you Brian, you would never fight him,’ I would just like to grapple with the guy. It doesn’t come from a place of ‘I want to fight him or beat him’. It comes from a place like ‘I wanna see what I have’. We dance the same rhythm in different ways. He’s a top guy, I’m a bottom guy. I’ve been shooting submissions from my back and I’m slick as f**k… If there was a guy that I would love to fight, if he f**ks me up or not, it would be him,” said Ortega.

Watch Brian Ortega talk about a fight against Khabib Nurmagomedov in the video below uploaded to Brendan Schaub’s YouTube channel ‘Thiccc Boy’ (from 2:06:10 mark).

Brian Ortega amazed by Khabib Nurmagomedov’s speaking skills

Brian Ortega isn’t just a fan of Khabib Nurmagomedov’s fighting style, the 30-year-old also loves the way ‘The Eagle’ carries himself during his interviews. Nurmagomedov’s choice of words and how he approaches difficult questions are some of the things Ortega said he likes about the former UFC champion.

“When I watch his interviews, I f**k with what he says. When he speaks, I fu****g like what he says. I love what he’s about, I love the way he conducts himself. I love the s**t that he says. He’s a true pro,” said Ortega.

Ortega’s last fight was against Chan Sung Jung, whom he defeated via unanimous decision in October 2020. He is now set to challenge for the UFC featherweight title for the second time in his career, opposite Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 266.