Islam Makhachev Names ‘Prime’ Tony Ferguson as His Dream Matchup, a Fight Many Claimed Khabib Was ‘Ducking’

As the UFC lightweight champion with three title defenses, Islam Makhachev can pick and choose any fighter from the pool to tango with inside the octagon. But if he truly could exercise his choice, Islam would turn back the clock and take on someone his mentor Khabib was accused of ducking- Tony Ferguson.

Islam greatly admires ‘the Ferguson’ who tore through the division on a 12-fight winning streak. That was the fighter Islam would have loved to test himself against.

“My brother Khabib supposed to fight Tony Ferguson like 5 time—they both have injuries and 5 times the fight is canceled… My dream to fight this guy at that moment… Tony in that moment was a very good athlete, very good fighter.”

 

However, he also acknowledged that while this fight would have made perfect sense three or four years ago, the sun has since set on that feud. Ferguson is currently on an 8-fight losing streak, with his legendary run seemingly a distant memory as he nears the end of his career.

While he is still calling out Khabib on Twitter, he’s not seen as a threat to any of the top 15 fighters in the 155 lbs division.

If Tony were to fight Khabib, it would have been long before the latter tore through Conor McGregor and won the title. After that, Khabib just went on a vertical trajectory, fighting world-class fighters and defeating them clinically. However, in his prime, Tony could have truly tested Khabib. At least, that was the consensus.

His penchant for getting hit and still pressing for 5 rounds would have tested Khabib’s gas tank. Tony was also technically effective on the ground, and a maverick on his feet; a far more well-rounded fighter than Khabib at the time.

So, while the fight never materialized for Khabib or Islam, it remains one of the biggest “what ifs” in UFC history.

Speaking of hypothetical fights, there is another fight that fans have been clamoring for

Islam agrees to fight Ilia, but…

Topuria wants to be out of MMA before he turns 30. As the featherweight champion, he is already a star in his own right. But to truly achieve legendary status before calling it a day, he needs to break into another division and defeat their champion.

As someone, who has clearly styled himself after Conor McGregor, Topuria would like to ride into the sunset with both the featherweight and lightweight titles on his shoulders. However, lightweight champion Makhachev has not been exactly throwing him a bone. Until now…

After weeks of declining the idea of fighting Topuria, claiming that he was just another smaller guy for him to squash, Islam seems to have come around on the idea.

“I’m not saying no. If I clean my division, if people want, if Dana want, why not? One day, I can do this, easy.”

However, he also noted that a fight with Topuria wouldn’t bring him much personal benefit. He explained that he’s not chasing the featherweight title and doesn’t need the money such a matchup would generate. Instead, his focus is on clearing out the lightweight division first, and then moving up to welterweight to fight the winner of Belal Muhammad vs Shavkat Rakhmonov.

But that might be a while as well since the UFC has yet to make it official.