Khabib Nurmagomedov, who retired undefeated with a 29-0 record, reflects on missed fights, particularly with Tony Ferguson, whom he believes he would have easily defeated, despite fans’ interest and Ferguson’s recent struggles.
Khabib Nurmagomedov isn’t a fighter who lives with regrets.
As much as he accomplished on his way to retiring as the undefeated, undisputed UFC lightweight champion with a perfect 29-0 record, there were always fights Nurmagomedov wanted that just didn’t happen. Perhaps the name at the top of that list is former UFC welterweight king George St-Pierre, who was always someone Nurmagomedov admired and considered a legitimate challenge.
The name that probably comes up the most, however, is Tony Ferguson. They were scheduled to face each other five times while both were competing near the top of the lightweight division. While there’s a part of Nurmagomedov that wishes he got the chance to face Ferguson, he also considered that fight a mismatch in his favor. So it doesn’t carry the same weight with him that it does with fans.
“I feel a little bit sad, but at the same time, I always understand my game it’s the worst for him,” Nurmagomedov told the Inspire Me podcast. “He don’t have wrestling. He don’t have grappling. What’s he going to do with me? How is he going to stop me? Only chance how he can stop me, it was only a lucky punch.
“Like with everybody, like with Conor [McGregor], with [Dustin] Poirier, with Justin Gaethje, everybody talks about, ‘Oh, they can stop him if Khabib [going to get caught with] a lucky punch.’ But other stuff, how’s he going to stop me?”
While Ferguson was definitely the most accomplished 155-pound contender that he never fought, Nurmagomedov always felt confident he would handle that challenge like all of the others in his career.
Nurmagomedov only lost a couple of rounds throughout his entire UFC run. He just doesn’t believe Ferguson had the weapons to beat him.
“When he fought with Danny Castllo, [Beneil] Dariush, Justin Gaethje, Charles Oliveira, all these guys mauled him,” Nurmagomedov said. “He didn’t have wrestling defense. He didn’t have good grappling. My fighting game, it was the worst for him.”
It’s wildly unusual for any fight to get booked five times and never actually happen. But Nurmagomedov knows he and Ferguson both wield some responsibility for those cancellations.
That’s another reason why Nurmagomedov can’t look back with regret because ultimately it just wasn’t meant to be when it comes to this particular rivalry.
“I’m a little bit sad, but what can we do?” Nurmagomedov said. “If God has some plan, nobody can change this. We were supposed to fight five times. He pulled out; I have injuries; this is not under my control.
“I feel a little bit sad, but at the same time, [I] showed who had what level.”
While Nurmagomedov retired after his third title defense in 2020, Ferguson remained active but has fallen on harder times of late. He’s now suffered eight consecutive losses in a row. All signs point toward his time with UFC coming to an end.
Ferguson has hinted that he plans to continue fighting outside UFC. But his struggles didn’t stop him from firing back at Nurmagomedov’s suggestion that his only hope in that potential matchup was a lucky punch.
“Lucky punch now … [I] was going to leave you alone but ew,” Ferguson wrote on Instagram. “Just couldn’t help it. Ya [fat f*ck]. What a f*cking p*ssy, coward like chicken. Keep hiding Khabieber 29-1.
“Until further notice, let ol’ fathead know what time it is crew.”