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

#4 It’s a fantastic fight on paper

Could Ferguson deal with the ferocity of Nurmagomedov?

The reason why the UFC have tried to book a Khabib/Ferguson fight so many times in the past isn’t just because both men are at the top of the division – it’s also because it sounds like a fantastic fight on paper between two massively skilled fighters – and it’s also almost impossible to pick a winner.

Thus far in his UFC career, nobody has really found a way to deal with Nurmagomedov’s wrestling game; he simply pushes too hard of a pace for anyone to keep up with, his takedowns are relentless even when he doesn’t succeed initially, and the threat of his takedowns also make his striking game more dangerous. And to add to all of that, he’s deceptively quick.

But Ferguson doesn’t care about being taken down. He’s quite happy to fight off his back – as witnessed by his triangle choke victory over Kevin Lee last October – and he often uses unorthodox ground attacks like rolling leglocks. His offense is unparalleled in terms of its wildness and creativity – he throws crazy, slashing elbows unlike any other fighter – and he’s also become known for breaking opponents with his pace.

So who would win? Would Khabib be able to ground ‘El Cucuy’ and punish him there as he’s done to so many others? How would the Russian deal with Ferguson’s unorthodox offense and attacks from his back? Would Ferguson’s chin hold up to the power of Khabib?

Whenever a potential fight asks so many valid questions, it suggests that it’s a fight that simply needs to happen. And the Khabib/Ferguson match is definitely one of those fights.