Tony Ferguson never got his showdown with longtime rival Khabib Nurmagomedov, but “El Cucuy” remains certain he could have beaten not just Nurmagomedov, but his protégé Islam Makhachev.
Nurmagomedov and Makhachev have cemented themselves as two of MMA’s most dominant fighters, boasting a combined 57-1 record and seven lightweight title defenses. Nurmagomedov, now retired, recently cornered Makhachev during his UFC 322 welterweight championship victory over Jack Della Maddalena.
During Khabib’s reign, multiple matchups with Ferguson were scheduled, but injuries, illnesses, and timing issues repeatedly cancelled the fights, leaving fans frustrated. When Nurmagomedov retired in 2020, the dream fight was put to rest for good.
Even now, at 41, Ferguson remains confident he could have solved the puzzle of the undefeated Khabib and believes he could still give Makhachev a run for his money.
“To me, in my opinion, Islam was one of the dudes that always had Khabib in the practice room,” Ferguson told Helen Yee Sports. “At the time, it was kind of like [Aljamain Sterling] and Merab [Dvalishvili], just feeling like when ‘Aljo’ left, then Merab finally started to shine and stuff. It’s the same thing with Khabib and Islam. I always thought Islam was more of a conditioned athlete, and doing his thing, but best of luck. But in my prime, kick your ass.”
Ferguson praised Makhachev’s dominant performance against Della Maddalena and suggested that maybe Makhachev was always the better fighter. He speculates that Nurmagomedov’s retirement, following the loss of his father and mentor Abdulmanap in 2020, finally cleared the path for Makhachev to step out of Khabib’s shadow.
“I think when Khabib’s dad was there, [Makhachev] was in the shadows, not wanting to pass him just out of respect for your teacher and your coaches and certain things like that,” Ferguson said. “I think when everything was all said and done and Khabib retired and the family stuff and so on, he finally had his time to shine.
“I think he’s his own athlete. I don’t think he really concerned himself about Khabib other than what he’s doing. At the end of the day, we’re all athletes, trying to pass it forward to the next generation. But I tell you what—one or two years at Tony Ferguson’s camp and academy, and you’ll be better than Dagestan wrestlers any day.”
Ferguson now holds the Misfits Boxing interim middleweight title after trading MMA gloves for boxing’s big reds. He’s set to defend the belt against Warren Spencer on Dec. 20 in Dubai.
While it’s unclear if Ferguson plans to return to MMA, he admitted he’s intrigued by the possibility of facing either Nurmagomedov or Conor McGregor in the planned UFC White House card.
“I’m going to be real, there’s only two people I want to fight, regardless of where it’s at—the interesting fights would be either Conor or Khabib,” Ferguson said. “I think, regardless of what happens, it’s going to sell tickets, good or bad—that’s what it’s for. The hype.
“But put me up there with Khabib at the White House, and I guarantee you guys are going to have fireworks. You have Khabib-Tony Round 6—make it happen.”
Despite UFC CEO Dana White’s best efforts, Ferguson never got to face Nurmagomedov in his prime. If Ferguson wasn’t tripping over his own feet, Khabib was busy perfecting his next masterpiece in the octagon.
Even now, Ferguson, 41 and still fiery, is open to the matchup. He returns to action against Warren Spencer at Misfits 23 in Dubai, proving that the fight fire in Ferguson hasn’t dimmed one bit.
