According to Nurmagomedov's plan: why the UFC should organize a fight between Makhachev and Ferguson

In the world of martial arts, discussions about a possible fight between Islam Makhachev and Tony Ferguson at UFC 254 in Abu Dhabi have not subsided for a week.

Former Bellator middleweight champion Alexander Shlemenko expressed the opinion that this fight is much more necessary for the Russian, because it will become a pass for him to the major lightweight league.

At the same time, the American fighter himself, although he did not agree, did not refuse to meet with his teammate Khabib Nurmagomedov.

“The fight between Makhachev and Ferguson is not a bad option.

Let's be frank: Ferguson is ranked much higher than Makhachev, so this fight is much more necessary for Islam.

Abdel-Aziz does everything for his ward.

This, of course, is not very correct, but there is nothing wrong with that ... Getting such a fight will already be a victory.

Imagine if Makhachev wins in the end?

It is very difficult to reach fighters like Ferguson, so here all the funds are spent for career development, "Shlemenko told the Championship.

Initially, Makhachev's rival at UFC 254 was supposed to be Rafael Dos Anjos.

The ex-lightweight champion was about to make a long-awaited return to his home division after a four-year absence, but he was prevented by the coronavirus.

Two weeks before the fight, the Brazilian tested positive for COVID-19 and was forced to withdraw from the show.

Islam himself did not waste time and rushed to challenge Michael Chandler, Dan Hooker and Charles Oliveira, but his manager had an even more interesting idea.

So, Ali Abdel-Aziz offered Ferguson to replace.

Yes, this fight is considered unlikely at the moment.

At least, this is what Dana White said, noting that Makhachev most likely will not be able to play at the same tournament with Nurmagomedov due to problems with finding an opponent.

But in the history of the promotion, there have already been cases when matchmakers found a replacement in a shorter time.

In this regard, Anderson Silva's appearance at UFC 200 can be considered a special one, who only had a couple of days to get in shape.

In this regard, Makhachev's fans still have hopes of seeing the fighter among the participants in the upcoming event.  

On paper, the battle with Makhachev can hardly be considered a serious challenge for Ferguson.

At the moment, the Russian is 12th in the UFC lightweight ranking and is not among the contenders for the title.

Yes, he's on a six-win streak, but none of his opponents are top tier fighters.

Arman Tsarukyan and Glayson Tibau are strong athletes, but the former is only gaining momentum, and the latter has long been in decline.

From a tournament point of view, a triumph in a duel with Makhachev is incapable of bringing Ferguson serious dividends.

Yes, he can get on a winning track and prove to the whole world that he has recovered from a crushing defeat at the hands of Justin Gaethje.

But this is unlikely to make him a favorite in the championship race.

If everything goes well, then in December a rematch between Conor McGregor and Dustin Poirier is likely.

And success in it will be quoted much higher than in the battle between Tony and Islam.

On the one hand, there is every reason to agree with Shlemenko's opinion that this fight is primarily important for Makhachev, and not for Ferguson.

One appearance in the octagon with a fighter of the caliber of Tony can give a serious impetus to the career of Islam, and success can even allow him to make a breakthrough.

A win against a noticeably surrendered Dos Anjos would help the Russian to count on getting into the top 10 of the light category, while a victory over El Cucuy could secure him a place in the top 6.

This development of events is ideally combined with Nurmagomedov's plan to end his career soon and change the power in the category.

He has repeatedly spoken about the desire to leave the sport with a record of 30: 0, which may come true in the very near future.

Already at the end of October, Oryol will be able to extend a successful streak to 29 battles, and in 2021 - to win the anniversary battle.

At the same time, Khabib repeatedly expressed the hope that Makhachev would take his place on the throne.

“When I have to leave, he (Makhachev. -

) must come.

The main thing is that I do not have to wait long, because I cannot be a champion forever.

In February, Islam will have a fight, then he will need to win two more fights.

And in a year and a half to two years, Islam should come and take it (title -

), "Nurmagomedov said in November 2019.

With a successful development of events by the time Nurmagomedov left the sport, Makhachev will be among the main contenders for the title and be considered a full-fledged participant in the championship race.

At the moment, Islam is behind schedule, but a victory over Ferguson can help him make up for lost time due to the coronavirus pandemic and get closer to implementing his teammate's idea.

As for Ferguson, you can find at least one plus for him in this duel.

It consists in the fact that in this way he can secure a meeting with Nurmagomedov.

If Tony effectively knocks out or forces the follower of Khabib to surrender, then the champion will certainly want revenge and persuade Dana White to give the American the opportunity to fight for the belt.

Given the current situation, this could be the last chance for El Cucuy to win the title.

In February, he will turn 37, which is an old age for the lightweight division.

As of early May 2020, Ferguson had 12 wins in a row, and the unbeaten streak lasted seven years.

However, during this period he only fought for the interim title and twice received the status of the first challenger.

True, in both cases he was not destined to fight for the main trophy.

In April 2018, he injured his knee and withdrew from the fight with Nurmagomedov, and two years later, his next battle with Khabib was canceled due to the pandemic.

This suggests that the UFC leadership was in no hurry to make Ferguson a champion in the past, and in the future, the position of the promotion is unlikely to change.

Until May 9, 2020, his presence in the race for the title was conditioned by an unbeaten run, but in its absence, he is hardly listed above the aforementioned Hooker and Oliveira.

It is noteworthy that Charles already has seven successful fights in a row, but in October he was offered to fight not with a representative of the top 5, but with the 11th rating in the person of Beneil Dariush.

As for the battle itself between Makhachev and Ferguson, it promises to be extremely interesting.

First, Tony's presence in the Octagon has long been a guarantee of a brutal and uncompromising battle.

So, over the past five years, only one fight with his participation was not noted at the end of the tournament.

Six times he won the cash prize for "Fight of the Evening", and three more - for "Performance".

There is no doubt that in the duel with Islam he will not change his style and will give fans a real spectacle.

Secondly, it is extremely interesting to observe how Makhachev will confront an opponent of Ferguson's level and what tactics he will choose to fight with him.

Unlike Khabib, Islam does not often force a transfer to the ground (3.4 takedowns on average in 15 minutes versus 5.35) and generally prefers to act in a standing position.

At the same time, on his feet, he often works as the second number.

This can be a good weapon against Tony, who is constantly going forward, but often does it too recklessly, which is why he misses a lot.

It was this that Gatji took advantage of, abandoning his trademark manner and betting on counterattacks.

True, a huge role was also played by the fact that for every imprudent action of El Cucuy, there was a punishment in the form of a crushing blow.

The Russian does not have this - under the auspices of the UFC, he won only once by knockout.

Plus, Ferguson probably drew conclusions and will not be so straightforward in a duel with Makhachev.

The defeat at Gatji exposed his weaknesses and made him think about correcting mistakes.

In preparation for the fight with Nurmagomedov, he resumed wrestling sparring for the first time in five years, perhaps after a recent failure he also thought about boxing.

Nevertheless, Ferguson still remains one of the strongest lightweights on the planet and will certainly be considered the favorite in the fight with Makhachev.

In the standing position he is noticeably sharper, and in the stalls he is incredibly inventive and is able to perform a painful hold from almost any position.

If successful, Tony will prove that he is still one of the leaders of the division and deserves to fight for the title.

The triumph of Islam will not only draw a line under a bright stage in the American's career, but also herald the emergence of a new star of the promotion.