Tony Ferguson has claimed that he will be the man to get Khabib Nurmagomedov to break his MMA retirement.

For many years fans were yearning to see Tony Ferguson and Khabib Nurmagomedov square off in the middle of the Octagon. Both men have long since been viewed as two of the best lightweights of their era but unfortunately, for one reason or another, the UFC could never actually get them to fight night.

They were booked opposite each other on five separate occasions, only for fate or injuries to intervene.

While many felt as if the ship had sailed with Khabib retiring after his win over Justin Gaethje, Ferguson recently suggested that the pair could coach a season of The Ultimate Fighter together.

In the lead-up to his return to the cage this weekend, Ferguson noted that he’s confident he’ll still square off against ‘The Eagle’ in some form.

“We got the green light bro [for Ultimate Fighter], we’re waiting on Khabib’s fat a**.

“We got the green light from the brass, green light from his coach, green light from his agent.

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“He’s the one that’s scared. Regardless of if it’s a fight or not, we’re going to coach. I’m sure we’ll make it entertaining, he’ll break before the fighters around that team. I still got some good material I haven’t used yet so I’m just waiting for that day.”

“I am the one to get him out of retirement. That dude isn’t retired. When it comes down to it, you lose somebody, you have to take some time off and do whatever you gotta do. His father has said the fight to make would be myself and Khabib, he did say that, and Khabib has that in his mind set.”

El Cucuy’s judgement day

After losing four straight in the UFC, Tony Ferguson is moving up to welterweight this weekend to battle Li Jingliang at UFC 279.

It’s a bout that many feel serves as another big risk for Tony but given what we know about him as a person and as a fighter, it should come as no surprise that he’s willing to put it all on the line once again.