5 reasons why the UFC should book Khabib vs Tony Ferguson next

#2 Ferguson has more than earned his shot

Ferguson has beaten 11 straight opponents in the UFC

Even if you choose to ignore the fact that last October, Ferguson won the Interim Lightweight title and never lost it in the Octagon, it’d be hard to deny that he’s earned a title shot. ‘El Cucuy’ has won eleven straight UFC fights and hasn’t lost since 2012 – and those eleven fights have come in the shark tank that is the UFC’s 155lbs division – usually recognised as the most talent-packed division in the sport.

Realistically, Ferguson’s win streak is bettered by just one man in the sport right now, and that’s Khabib himself. And with McGregor beaten, it’s pretty hard to deny that Ferguson and Khabib are the best two Lightweights on the planet. So why try to deny Ferguson his title shot?

The other options would be a rematch with McGregor – something that the Irishman simply doesn’t warrant given he was beaten in largely one-sided fashion by Nurmagomedov – or a fight with the winner of the upcoming Nate Diaz vs. Dustin Poirier match, but neither man’s resume comes close to the accomplishments of ‘El Cucuy’ right now.

If the UFC has any sense of favouring a sporting approach rather than a purely entertainment one – and bookings like Robert Whittaker vs. Kelvin Gastelum and Max Holloway vs. Brian Ortega suggest they still do sometimes – then Tony Ferguson is the only name that makes sense as Khabib’s next fight.