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It's no secret that Tony Ferguson isn't the biggest fan of Khabib Nurmagomedov, and recently, he has questioned the legitimacy of 'The Eagle's' 29-0 record in MMA.
In a now-deleted social media post, Ferguson implied that Nurmagomedov's impressive 29-0 record is actually padded. BJPenn.com was able to catch the post before it was taken down:
"Ahhh Khabieber’s record… facts: more than half of fatheads professional fights were only two round sanctioned bouts. All before UFC. To be professional fights in most leagues, there must be three sanctioned rounds to be considered professional. Fights (sic) leagues such [as] UFC & farm league. The three by two round TUF (The Ultimate Fighter) fights should count on my record if that’s the case. Give me three more knockouts & victories on my record.”
In the post, Ferguson explained that more than half of Khabib Nurmagomedov's fights prior to his debut in the UFC were in fact two-round bouts, much like the exhibition bouts that can be seen on The Ultimate Fighter. Ferguson added that if that was the case, then his TUF fights should be included in his professional record as well.
Tony Ferguson and Nurmagomedov have some history, to say the least. The two have been booked to fight on five different occasions, but for whatever reason, their fights have never pushed through. Unfortunately, it looks like they will never have a chance to settle their differences inside the octagon, as Khabib Nurmagomedov announced his retirement from MMA back in October of 2020. Ferguson, meanwhile, has lost back-to-back fights to Justin Gaethje and Charles Oliveira.
What's next for Khabib Nurmagomedov and Tony Ferguson?
It's a shame that fans likely won't get to see Khabib Nurmagomedov and Tony Ferguson finally share the octagon. Still, never say never in the world of MMA.
Khabib Nurmagomedov announced his retirement at UFC 254 back in October, but the UFC lightweight title has yet to be removed from him. This has led people to believe that he might not be done yet. Nurmagomedov and White are expected to meet in Abu Dhabi to discuss 'The Eagle's' future with the company.
Tony Ferguson, meanwhile, it's back to the drawing board after losing back-to-back fights for the first time in his career. Ferguson is still a top-10 ranked lightweight in the UFC however, and a couple of impressive wins could land him right back in the title picture.
Who knows, maybe the fight that would get Khabib out of retirement is actually a fight with Tony Ferguson.
