Tony Ferguson, whom UFC president Dana White named as a possible future opponent for Khabib Nurmagomedov, turned to Twitter to call out the Russian fighter over his recent comments on pursuing a potential boxing match against Floyd Mayweather.
Tried To Be Nice But You’re Still My Bitch @TeamKhabib Check It Out… You Couldn’t Box Your Way Out Of A Paper Bag. I See You & The Team Working On That Footwork. Running From A Much Needed Ass Whoopin’. Keep Swimmin’ Shrimp,The Fans Like Me Better 💯🕴I’m The Champ Chump 🇺🇸🏆🇲🇽 pic.twitter.com/mdKdqF30cU
— Tony Ferguson (@TonyFergusonXT) 27 November 2018
Netizens have been bombarding social media with tweets – some in support of Tony:
You are the real champ everyone knows it…Khabib wants to make as money as possible when he has the title cuz he knows if he agrees to fight you his run is over. pic.twitter.com/DC686xraiv
— Ajith (@devils_rjct) 27 November 2018
Not going to lie, I’m not a huge fan of both guys, but I honestly believe Khabib might be scared of Tony. Just a hunch.
— Otes Wang (@OtesWang) 27 November 2018
If these guys were real fighters they would fight anybody. Connor and Khabib are runners and only "money/super fight" fighters now. They too big for they own head. Connor completely ducked you and Khabib missed weight on purpose. You are the real champ champ
— RIP Stan Lee.. (@smoothforreal) 27 November 2018
Khabib would gain more respect by fighting you, rather than this boxing bullshit I'm hearing about.
— Luc (@Luc90809533) 27 November 2018
Others defended Khabib, saying he’d crush Tony just like he did Connor McGregor:
Ur next #tonny pic.twitter.com/V70daYVc6b
— Haroon (@king_omaid) 28 November 2018
As Khabib fan, I want to see this fight more than anyone else. But come on man, If he’s scared he wouldn’t sign to fight you 4 times. Let’s not forget you’re the one who pulled out the last time in UFC 223.
— Mo Algarny (@mmalgarny) 27 November 2018
— RB (@Rweetherley) 27 November 2018
Another netizen suggested praying to the ‘MMA gods’ to make the fight happen:
I need the MMA gods to make this fight happen already. pic.twitter.com/v8nrSbkWRk
— Gregzilla (@EmperorGreg) 27 November 2018
Speaking at a press-conference earlier this week, Nurmagomedov said that fighting Mayweather would be more interesting for fans – and would do more for his legacy and fortune.
‘For legacy, money-wise and competition-wise, the bout against Mayweather would be more interesting [than a fight with Tony Ferguson]. Why do people keep buying pay-per-views with Mayweather in? Because he keeps winning. He’s never lost. 50 bouts and 50 wins. Some people root for him and some people root against him. That would be interesting. Two undefeated fighters. It would be very interesting to see who wins’, he said.
The bad blood is said to have begun in December 2015, when the two were slated to face off at the Ultimate Fighter 22 Finale. However, Nurmagomedov was forced to withdraw from the bout due to a broken rib.
The duo was then set to throw down at UFC 209 in March 2017 for the interim lightweight title, but Nurmagomedov withdrew from the long-anticipated fight on the day of the official weigh-ins after being rushed to the hospital over complications with his weight-cut.
UFC made another attempt to arrange a Nurmagomedov-Ferguson match-up – this time at UFC 223 in April 2018, but just days before the two were set to clash, Ferguson injured his knee and dropped out of the fight.
