Tony Ferguson prepared to ‘squash beef’ with long-term rival Khabib Nurmagomedov

Both Tony Ferguson and Khabib Nurmagomedov have been destined to cross paths since they broke the lightweight rankings.

Tony Ferguson was on a 12-fight win streak from 2015 to 2019, and Khabib was still undefeated, so the two were scheduled to clash for the first time.

Unfortunately, Khabib would have to pull out of the fight due to injury - starting the trend of the most cursed matchup in MMA.

The fight between 'El Cucuy' and 'The Eagle' would be scheduled another FOUR times, but whether it was Ferguson tearing a ligament due to tripping on a media wire, or the COVID-19 pandemic, we would never see these two fighters share an octagon.

Now with Khabib announcing his retirement in 2021, fans may have given up hope on a matchup between the two, but Tony Ferguson himself hasn't lost hope.

Speaking on the MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani, Tony Ferguson spoke of his desire to reignite his feud with the Russian via the Ultimate Fighter.

"I believe when (Khabib Nurmagomedov's) dad said we were supposed to compete. I believe that.

"I would love to be able to coach against him on the Ultimate Fighter. How about that? Best man wins on the team. I guarantee my coaching is a lot better than your Khabib", Ferguson added.

Ferguson believes the opportunity of coaching against Khabib, and a possible fight at the end, could finally 'squash the beef' between the two.

"Jiu-Jitsu, soccer, It doesn't matter what game we play, It would be cool to go out there, shake the dude's hand, squash some beef, and move on."

Ferguson himself made his name on the Ultimate Fighter television series. Competing in the 13th installment of the popular show, Ferguson became the welterweight winner with a first-round knockout of Ramsey Nijem.

And fans would welcome Ferguson's return to the series. However, due to Khabib's early retirement, this fight may remain a dream for both fans and Tony Ferguson alike.