Confident Chris Wade wants to fight top of the UFC’s ‘Russian list,’ Khabib Nurmagomedov

UFC lightweight Chris Wade rides his six-fight winning streak into Europe this weekend where he’ll take on Rustam Khabilov at UFC Fight Night 87 in Rotterdam. Wade, who is undefeated in the UFC, and Khabilov, a winner of 18 pro fights, will compete in the main event of the FOX Sports 1 preliminary card.

Though this is the highest Wade has been placed on a UFC card, he can’t hide his disappointment at not making his main card debut on May 8th.

“I’m a little bit upset that this fight started as me being third on the main card, behind the Struve fight and the Arlovski/Overeem fight,” Wade told Bloody Elbow. “When they added Gunner [Nelson] and Tumenov, I slid back behind them, and then they added three fights to follow that up, with six fighters who I’ve never heard of in my life.”

I don’t understand how this is not a main card fight. -Chris Wade

“Being prelim main is well and good, but with the work I’ve done thus far, and even with Khabilov and what he’s accomplished in the cage thus far, I don’t understand how this is not a main card fight.”

Should he defeat Khabilov on Sunday, Wade is confident he’ll become a fixture on future main cards.

“I think that, with everything, from how I’ve been competing, how I’ve been winning, how I’ve been giving my interviews, my look, everything, I think that I should be getting that push and I should be on the main card and should be getting introduced to the fan base as a whole, a little bit more so than I am at this point, but the only thing that I can keep doing is remaining dominating, and let them keep figuring that out.”

When speaking about his next opponent, Wade praised Khabilov for his well-rounded game and the toughness that he believes in innate to all who hail from the mountains of Dagestan.

Wade also appreciates Khabilov’s sambo influenced fighting style. Wade admitted a great fondness for the Russian martial art system, which he described as a “sudden violent art”, in comparison to jiu-jitsu. Despite respecting sambo, Wade believes his catch-wrestling style will come out on top come fight night.

However, Wade stated the biggest edge he has over Khabilov is athleticism and he believes this will be a key deciding factor in the contest.

“Using  my athleticism and my range, and the boxing and some of the more athletic moves that we’ve been working on, I think this is certainly a big opportunity to hurt him on his feet and kind of really make him desperate to take the fight to the mat.”

Wade also believes he has a stamina advantage over Khabilov.

“I noticed with Khabilov, his first round is usually his best round,” said Wade. “Second and third round, he doesn’t come on stronger and stronger, he fades, so I want to be smart early on and be tactical, but I think all the things we’ve been working on and sharpening, as far as putting all the striking together, means he’s probably gonna get hurt early on, whether he shows it or not.”

Wade is hoping to showcase improved stand-up skills versus Khabliov, demonstrating …

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