Khabib Nurmagomedov sends uplifting message to Tony Ferguson after potential UFC on ABC 7 retirement bout

Khabib Nurmagomedov thinks it’s an appropriate time for Tony Ferguson to retire after his UFC on ABC 7 loss.

Nurmagomedov was at Saturday’s event at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi to corner his cousin Umar in the main event. He was backstage when his longtime rival Ferguson (25-11 MMA, 15-9 UFC), whom he was scheduled to fight five times during his career, suffered a first-round submission defeat against Michael Chiesa to set the record for most consecutive octagon losses at eight.

There have been several instances already in which Nurmagomedov has urged Ferguson to retire. That appears to be closer to reality than ever, but remains to be seen after Ferguson was non-committal in the aftermath of his defeat.

Nurmagomedov is on the side of retirement for “El Cucuy,” though, and provided an uplifting message to a man he spent many years of his career feuding with.

“It’s not a surprise for me because he is 40 years old,” Nurmagomedov told UFC Europe. “I just want to wish him all the best. He is truly one of the best to ever do it in the UFC. I just want to wish him all the best. His life is just beginning, because he’s just 40 years old. He just finished his MMA career. Now it is going to a be different life. A much better life.”

: "It's not a surprise for me, I want to wish him all of the best!"

Khabib Nurmagomedov reacts to THAT Tony Ferguson interview at #UFCAbuDhabi @VisitAbuDhabi | @InAbuDhabi | #InAbuDhabi pic.twitter.com/AmYj06zvnS

— UFC Europe (@UFCEurope) August 3, 2024

Nurmagomedov and Ferguson never got the opportunity to share the octagon. A series of unfortunate and unpredictable events led to a record number of fight cancellations between them, and although Nurmagomedov would’ve liked for it to happen when they were at the peak of their powers, he said it was simply not meant to be.

“In my prime and his prime, it was supposed to be very interesting fight,” Nurmagomedov said. “But what can I say? He have a couple times injured, I have a couple times injured. It is what it is, you know? Sometimes we have our plans, but God has his plans. We cannot control this.”

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ABC 7.