Report: Khabib Nurmagomedov Withdraws from ‘TUF 22’ Finale Due to Rib Injury

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Khabib Nurmagomedov’s injury woes continue to keep him out of the Octagon.

According to a report from MMAFighting.com, the lightweight contender has been forced to pull out of a proposed clash with Tony Ferguson at "The Ultimate Fighter 22" finale after suffering a rib injury. The Dagestani fighter, who is 22-0 as a professional, has been sidelined by knee injuries since a victory over current champion Rafael dos Anjos in April 2014.

The UFC is now targeting Edson Barboza to replace Nurmagomedov against Ferguson, according to the report.The “TUF 22” finale takes place in Las Vegas on Dec. 11 and is headlined by a featherweight tilt between Frankie Edgar and Chad Mendes.

Ferguson has won six straight fights in the Octagon, including a dominant decision triumph against Josh Thomson at UFC Fight Night in San Diego on July 15. Barboza has won three of his last four contests within the promotion; most recently, he outpointed Paul Felder at UFC on Fox 16 on July 25.