UFC veteran Tony Ferguson has disclosed that he and Khabib Nurmagomedov were once set to face off not in the octagon, but as opposing coaches on the reality show The Ultimate Fighter.
“Khabib and I, we were supposed to coach against each other in the Ultimate Fighter, and everything was signed,” Ferguson stated in a recent interview. “I don’t know if anybody knows that.”
The disclosure comes as a fascinating footnote to one of the most anticipated rivalries in UFC history—a matchup that was scheduled five times but never materialized due to various circumstances including injuries, weight-cutting issues, and eventually the pandemic.
According to Ferguson, the coaching opportunity fell through because of personal matters affecting Nurmagomedov. “That was around the time that him and his cousin, he didn’t corner him in that fight. So he had some pretty big stuff that was going on,” Ferguson explained.
Despite their longstanding rivalry, Ferguson showed respect for Khabib’s situation, saying, “You never wish bad luck for people, but just keep building the legacies, I guess.”
The former interim lightweight champion indicated he would still welcome the chance to coach opposite Nurmagomedov. “I would definitely take the opportunity to coach against him,” Ferguson said, before adding with his characteristic flair: “He’s a knucklehead, and he’s still fat. And he wears that hat. I’d love to clean the mats with it.”
Ferguson suggested that beyond the competitive aspect, such an arrangement would showcase their respective approaches to the sport. “I think it’d be interesting to see what kind of skill level each person has,” he noted, referencing his own experience coaching alongside Brock Lesnar.
Tony Ferguson has hinted at upcoming news while reigniting his rivalry with Dillon Danis, despite their canceled GFL matchup. The two were supposed to face off during GFL’s debut events in May, but the league abruptly scrapped those plans without offering a reschedule. Undeterred, Ferguson tweeted that Danis “still gon’ get demolished” and included a cryptic video referencing his recent struggles and featuring a random clip of honking seals. At 41, Ferguson is on an eight-bout losing streak and was released from the UFC last August. Meanwhile, Danis—known more for controversy than competition—hasn’t competed in MMA since 2019 and was disqualified in his only boxing match against Logan Paul in 2023.
