UFC 249: 5 reasons why Tony Ferguson will beat Khabib Nurmagomedov

#1 - Fighting spirit

Ferguson's heart will likely be a huge asset against Khabib

Tony Ferguson has come close to being finished on many occasions during his time inside the Octagon. Perhaps the closest Ferguson came to being finished was at UFC Fight Night 91 against Lando Vannata where in the first round, he was knocked down thrice, which would usually signal the end of a fight. However, Ferguson recovered, and submitted Vannata with a D'Arce choke in the second round.

In his last 12 fights for the UFC, Tony Ferguson has shown that he not only has incredible fighting skills - he has an incredible fighting spirit as well. He has shown that he is able to keep going in the most grueling situations, something that cannot be taught.

In their fight, it is likely that Khabib will take El Cucuy down and maul him. However, we can be sure that Ferguson will show strength in the face of adversity and fight back, doing whatever it takes to get back up.

Given that most of Khabib's opponents have given up once taken down, including world class fighters such as Dustin Poirier, Ferguson's fighting spirit will bring a whole new dynamic to their fight.