UFC lightweight contender Islam Makhachev wants former UFC interim lightweight champion Tony Ferguson in his next outing.
The 29-year old Dagestan native who defeated Drew Dober via submission due to an arm-triangle choke in the third round this past Saturday at UFC 259, requested the fight with Ferguson when speaking to the media after the victory. Makhachev mentioned Ferguson's longtime rivalry with his training partner, mentor, and friend UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov as the reasoning for his desire to make this his next bout.
“My dream fight is Tony because we have some deal with him, like a couple years now,” Makhachev said (h/t MMAJunkie). “He’s still, like, pressuring Khabib. I don’t understand this guy, but I want to just help him retire. He is old. His mind is a little bit crazy. That’s why I just want to help him.”
Makhachev who is riding a seven-fight win streak now with the win over Dober also wants to fight Ferguson to make an example out of him and show what Nurmagomedov would've done to the 37-year old Californian, if one of their many failed scheduled fights would've come to fruition.
“I just want to show people how Khabib would take him down, make him tired, make him tap,” Makhachev said. “Everybody talks like Tony is a hard fight for Khabib, but I never think like that because Khabib’s wrestling and grappling is a different level. Nobody has it like that.”
Not content with ground dominance, ---- @MakhachevMMA gets the submission!
— UFC Europe (@UFCEurope) March 7, 2021
-- Just how high is the ceiling for Islam Makhachev? #UFC259 pic.twitter.com/8z9s9CpDqS
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