5 UFC fighters who lived rent-free in their rivals' heads

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#2 UFC lightweights Tony Ferguson and Khabib Nurmagomedov

Tony Ferguson vs Khabib Nurmagomedov is perhaps the biggest UFC fight that never actually happened - although it wasn't for lack of trying. Fans and MMA pundits have witnessed the fight getting canceled five times. The UFC breathed life into this saga when it was first announced back in 2015. However, fans still await the opportunity to witness two of the greatest lightweights trade blows.

Khabib Nurmagomedov doesn't believe Tony Ferguson can make a comeback. https://t.co/HP5xqyaV8x pic.twitter.com/1j7QSd2sRo

— MMA On Point (@OnPointMMA) August 21, 2021

Khabib Nurmagomedov always occupied a spot in the back of Tony Ferguson's mind, who never gave up on trying to get this fight made. But the stars just weren't aligned to make it happen.

Marking their last ditch effort at making the fight, the UFC booked Tony Ferguson and Khabib Nurmagomedov to fight in April 2020. A global pandemic derailed the fight that time around. Both fighters must certainly wonder what could have been, more so Ferguson.

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#1 UFC lightweights Dustin Poirier and Conor McGregor

Ye sounds about right https://t.co/iG9Oz7rRuz

— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) August 23, 2021

Dustin Poirier and Conor McGregor are presently embroiled in one of the most bitter feuds in the UFC. Spanning across a number of years, their rivalry manifested itself in the form of a trilogy. Dustin Poirier was the one who came out of the trilogy on top as the proud owner of prime real-estate in Conor McGregor's mind. He bested Conor McGregor in his rematch and the final edition of their trilogy saga at UFC 257 and UFC 264 earlier this year.

Ye pal live on that one way back, I will too. I bounced your head off the canvas like a basketball. Your wife bro. The dm’s. Elbows into your dome. The soft part of the skull that doesn’t harden ever. From when you’re a baby. Drilled into your skull at 100mph. U slept on my belly

— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) August 23, 2021

Conor McGregor, in the wake of his loss, took to social media on multiple occasions to throw shade at Dustin Poirier. The fact that he had been bested by a longtime rival did not sit right with Conor McGregor. Unable to deal with the loss, Conor McGregor has repeatedly taken to social media in a bid to set the ball rolling for yet another rematch.