Khabib Nurmagomedov and Tony Ferguson shared one of the longest-running feuds in UFC History. This is with five scheduled fighters between them. The fight between Khabib and Ferguson remains one of the greatest “what-if” stories in MMA history.
A series of freak injuries, failed weight cuts and even a global pandemic kept the fans from witnessing what would have been an incredible matchup at the time.
Tony Ferguson Reveals Hidden Meaning Behind UFC 249 Belt Moment With Khabib Nurmagomedov
UFC 233 happened in 2018 and it came the closest to seeing Khabib Nurmagomedov and Tony Ferguson face off. However, just days before their fight, Ferguson tripped over a camera wire at the media day. This tore his knee ligaments and derailed the highly anticipated matchup.
Two years later, Tony Ferguson would go on to hold the interim lightweight title in Khabib’s absence. The two were then booked for a title unification fight at UFC 249. This reignited their heated rivalry. Fans speculated about the words exchanged when the two squared off one final time.
During the face-off, Ferguson placed his interim belt on the ground, only for Nurmagomedov to kick it away. Tony Ferguson recently revealed the real reason behind his actions. Speaking on the Jaxxon Podcast, Ferguson explained;
“When we did the face-off, I put my belt on the ground, right, and he kicked it. But that wasn’t to annoy Khabib. I was measuring him with my belt. Every time I put it down, that’s how close I was to ankle-picking him.”
“When I picked up my belt, I bowed and said, ‘Thank you for giving me your tells.’”
Ferguson Reveals His All-Time MMA Inspirations, Including Rampage Jackson, GSP, and Sakuraba
The highly anticipated fight between Tony Ferguson and Khabib Nurmagomedov at UFC 249 would go on to never happen. This was after the event was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Tony Ferguson then later lost his interim title to Justin Gaethje, and his career ended up taking a downward turn. However, despite this, he has yet to announce his retirement, much to the disappointment of his fans.
Tony Ferguson will undoubtedly be inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame once his career eventually ends. He will also always remain a fan favourite. In a recent interview, Tony Ferguson shared his own inspirations and revealed which fighter motivated him throughout his career. Speaking about this Tony said;
“Rampage (Jackson), sure. GSP (Georges St-Pierre) was my target because I was 10-2 before joining the UFC, and he was the only one at 170lbs doing it right. I always compared myself to him because I knew I had to beat him to win the championship belt,”
Tony Ferguson also cited Kazushi Sakuraba as another key influence, describing him as a “Gracie killer” and also a fighter who embraced a unique style. Speaking about this he said;
“Sakuraba was a wrestler who did his own thing. He’d smoke a cigarette, drink a shot, then go out and fight—no one else had that approach,”
Featured image credits to Embed from Getty Images
