"Covid was invented to stop this fight" - Fans mourn "emotional damage" over ill-fated Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Tony Ferguson booking that fell apart

Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Tony Ferguson remains one of MMA’s most infamous 'what-ifs.' Despite being booked five times between 2015 and 2020, the fight never materialized, leaving fans with enduring disappointment.

The saga began in 2015 when their bout at the TUF 22 Finale was canceled due to Khabib’s rib injury. Subsequent bookings at UFC on FOX 19 and UFC 209, respectively, were derailed by Ferguson’s lung issue and Khabib’s failed weight cut, respectively.

The fourth attempt, set for UFC 223 in 2018, fell apart when Ferguson suffered a freak knee injury just days before the event. In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic thwarted their fifth and final booking at UFC 249.

Khabib, stuck in Dagestan due to global travel restrictions, addressed fans on Instagram, questioning the expectation to fight amid a worldwide lockdown.

Years later, fans still lament the dream fight that never came to fruition. One fan remarked:

“I still have emotional damage from the fight we never got.”

Another joked:

“Covid was invented to stop this fight, them sneaky russians knew tony was gonna throw sand in his eyes and d’arce choke him so they teamed up with china to eat bats n sh*t”

Check out some of the fan reactions below:

Fans react to Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Tony Ferguson fights that never materialized. [Screenshot courtesy: X]

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When Khabib Nurmagomedov shared his thoughts on the only way Tony Ferguson could beat him

Speaking at an event in the UK, Khabib Nurmagomedov admitted that while Tony Ferguson was regarded as a potential threat due to his unpredictable striking and submission skills, he believed Ferguson's only real chance was landing a "lucky punch."

Nurmagomedov also reflected on Ferguson’s lack of wrestling and grappling skills, stating that his game would have been too much for Ferguson to handle. He noted Ferguson's struggles against top competitors like Danny Castillo, Beneil Dariush, and Justin Gaethje, pointing out that none of them had difficulty dominating him on the ground.

'The Eagle' said on the Inspire Me Podcast:

“The only chance he had to stop me was with a lucky punch, like with everybody…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, I’m a little bit sad [it didn’t happen]” [H/t: Bloody Elbow]

While Ferguson’s career continues under the UFC banner, he is on an eight-fight losing streak, with his last victory coming in 2019.

Check out Khabib Nurmagomedov's interview below: