MMA Fantasy: What if Tony Ferguson and Khabib Nurmagomedov had fought?

Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Tony Ferguson is arguably one of the biggest what ifs in UFC history. The lightweight stars were linked together for years and a number of attempts were made to book the bout, but they failed to materialize each time.

The UFC attempted to book the highly anticipated bout at different stages of their respective careers leaving fans wondering who would win. They each had unique fighting styles and appeared to be the perfect matchup for each other.

After years of their fights falling through, it appeared as though they would finally meet in the octagon at UFC 249 in 2020. However, the fight just wasn't meant to be as it was canceled due to the global pandemic.

Check out the UFC's tweet featuring a faceoff between Khabib Nurmagomedov and Tony Ferguson below:

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What would happen if Khabib Nurmagomedov and Tony Ferguson had fought?

Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Tony Ferguson was an intriguing matchup, especially when they were most recently linked to a bout at UFC 249.

'The Eagle' was known for his sambo and grappling and would take his opponents down and impose his will. The Dagestani had an unbeaten 28-0 MMA record, which was a reflection of how dominant he was. He was coming off back-to-back submission wins over Conor McGregor and Dustin Poirier and was the reigning lightweight champion.

'El Cucuy', on the other hand, was known for his unorthodox style and for the damage he was capable of inflicting on his opponents. He was a force to be reckoned with during the peak of his career and riding an impressive 12 fight winning streak.

Fergsuon defeated a who's who at 155 lbs, including a number of former champions. The former 'TUF' winner was particularly dangerous on the ground, where he would land vicious elbows off his back that would leave his opponents bloodied.

It would have been interesting to see whether Nurmagomedov would have altered his game plan against Ferguson. The threat of elbows on the ground could have resulted in 'The Eagle' being slightly more hesitant than usual and the fight being contested on the feet. He had knocked down Conor McGregor two fights prior, so he might have had more confidence in his striking.

Ferguson also had excellent grappling, so he could have been able to adjust and handle himself on the ground should he be taken down. If 'El Cucuy' and Nurmagomedov fought, fans would find out whether the former TUF winner could hand the Dagestani his first career loss.

Check out the UFC 249: Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Tony Ferguson press conference below: