Tony Ferguson Reveals Khabib Nurmagomedov’s Dad Saved ‘The Eagle’ from big-time Embarrassment at UFC 209

Tony Ferguson talks about how Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov saved Khabib Nurmagomedov ahead of their UFC 209 lightweight title fight.

Tony Ferguson Reveals Khabib Nurmagomedov’s Dad Saved ‘The Eagle’ from big-time Embarrassment at UFC 209

Tony Ferguson says that Khabib Nurmagomedov's dad saved him from UFC 209 (MMA Fighting)

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The UFC has seen a fair share of super fights and rivalries ever since its inception in 1993. However, these fights often do not materialize or are canceled at the last minute. The most popular and infamous example of such a case is the record five failed fights between Khabib Nurmagomedov and Tony Ferguson between 2015 and 2020. Despite it being a long time ago, ‘El Cucuy’ recently revealed some interesting facts about the failed matchup.

In a recent interview with Bloody Elbow, Ferguson spoke out on an incident that potentially ruled Nurmagomedov out of their much-anticipated fight at UFC 209. ‘El Cucuy’ revealed that he and his family were surrounded by Nurmagomedov’s team in a hotel lobby, and he went up to ‘The Eagle’ and gave him a piece of his mind.

That dude never showed up, he disappeared on a day’s notice….That kid was the only f—ing one where his dad saved his a– because he knew that he f—ed up…Khabib was one of those f—ing dudes. When they surrounded my family and my team, I told that motherf—er when we were there face-to-face, ‘it’s only me and you allowed in there, ain’t nobody else going to f—ing save you.

However, Ferguson also revealed that the fight was canceled by Nurmagomedov’s father, Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov, due to the intensity shown by the former interim 155lbs kingpin. He believed that the esteemed MMA coach faked his son’s hospitalization and weight-cut issues to pull him out of the UFC 209 main event.

That next day, he didn’t want to be a f—ing part of it. Nah, that motherf***er made a f***ing phone call and they said ‘No, you do not want to fight this guy, you do not want to fight this guy because we have a lot of plans for you and you do not f*ck up right here. Well, you’re going to have to not take this fight.

Tony Ferguson via Bloody Elbow

For the unversed, the duo were scheduled to fight five times in a span of five years. However, the fights were canceled and did not materialize due to various issues each time. The first fight was scheduled in 2015, but was canceled due to a rib injury suffered by the Dagestani. Both fighters had pulled out twice, and when it looked like the fight was finally going to materialize in 2020, the COVID pandemic hit, forcing Nurmagomedov to stay in Russia.

However, ever since then, there has been a lot of animosity between the two former lightweight giants. With Ferguson taking continuous shots at Nurmagomedov, both fighters have had an unsettled beef. However, the UFC Hall of Famer has not replied to all of Ferguson’s call-outs and sly digs and has often left respectful messages of advice.

The canceled bout in 2020 was a turning point for both fighters, as Ferguson has since been on an eight-fight losing streak, and Nurmagomedov fought the last fight of his career in the same year. Ironically, Ferguson’s losing streak started after getting stopped out by Justin Gaethje, who also fought Nurmagomedov in his last career fight five months later at UFC 254.

Khabib Nurmagomedov revealed that he was upset about the failed Tony Ferguson fight

After 2020, the rivalry between Khabib Nurmagomedov and Tony Ferguson lived on through words rather than a fight. Initially, the ‘Eagle’ showed respect after Ferguson’s loss to Gaethje, telling him to stay strong and that his son would be proud of him one day. However, ‘El Cucuy’ kept throwing insults, Nurmagomedov switched gears, roasted him on social media, and reminded him that he hadn’t won a round in years.

Khabib Nurmagomedov Tony Ferguson
Khabib Nurmagomedov Tony Ferguson (ESPN India)

Nurmagomedov recently spoke out on the fight on the ‘Inspire Me’ podcast and expressed his regret regarding the failure to materialize the battle. However, he also recognised his own prime and believed that Ferguson did not possess any tools to beat him except for one.

My game is worse for him, he doesn’t have wrestling, grappling so what’s he gonna do with me? How’s he gonna stop me? Only chance he’d have to stop me is a lucky punch.

Khabib Nurmagomedov via Inspire Me

The Nurmagomedov-Ferguson rivalry stands as one of MMA’s most captivating unfinished stories. Despite years of buildup and five failed attempts to make the fight, it never materialized inside the octagon, leaving only speculation and heated exchanges outside of it. Ultimately, the clash that fans waited for will never be settled in the cage, solidifying its place as the UFC’s greatest “what if.”

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