Khabib Nurmagomedov: Only chance Tony Ferguson had to stop me was 'a lucky punch'

UFC Hall of Famer Khabib Nurmagomedov says Tony Ferguson never stood a chance of beating him.

Ferguson, who was once owner of a 12-fight winning streak, was long considered Nurmagomedov’s biggest threat. They were booked against each other five times, but each one was canceled, leaving their rivalry unsettled.

Ferguson was adamant that he would be the one to hand former UFC lightweight champion Nurmagomedov his first loss, but “The Eagle” said his style was a nightmare matchup.

“I feel a little bit sad, but at the same time, I always understood that my game is worse for him,” Nurmagomedov said on the “Inspire Me Podcast.” “He doesn’t have wrestling. He doesn’t have grappling. What was he going to do with me? How was he going to stop me? The only chance he had to stop me was with a lucky punch, like with everybody. Like with Conor (McGregor), with (Dustin) Poirier, with Justin Gaethje.

“Everybody talks about like, ‘They can stop him if Khabib is going to get (hit with) lucky punch,’ but other stuff, how are they going to stop me? When he fought with Danny Castillo, (Beneil) Dariush, Justin Gaethje, Charles Oliveira, all these guys mauled him. He didn’t have wrestling defense. He didn’t have good grappling. My fighting game was worse for him. I’m a little bit sad, but what we can do?”

After their fifth and final fight cancellation at UFC 249 due to COVID-19 related travel bans, Nurmagomedov and Ferguson’s careers took off in vastly different directions. Ferguson’s winning streak was ended by Justin Gaethje, which kickstarted a UFC-record skid that reached eight fights after his loss to Michael Chiesa earlier this month at UFC on ABC 7.

Nurmagomedov fought only one more time, submitting Gaethje to retain his lightweight title at UFC 254 and retiring immediately afterward.

“I feel a little bit sad, but then time showed who has what level,” Nurmagomedov said.