{"id":6055,"date":"2025-05-29T16:50:04","date_gmt":"2025-05-29T15:50:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mmamag.ma\/en\/?p=6055"},"modified":"2025-05-29T20:01:34","modified_gmt":"2025-05-29T19:01:34","slug":"is-khabibs-legacy-being-dismantled-tony-ferguson-picks-makhachev-and-reignites-the-debate","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mmamag.ma\/en\/is-khabibs-legacy-being-dismantled-tony-ferguson-picks-makhachev-and-reignites-the-debate\/","title":{"rendered":"Is Khabib\u2019s Legacy Being Dismantled? Tony Ferguson Picks Makhachev and Reignites the Debate"},"content":{"rendered":"<p style=\"text-align: justify;\" data-start=\"221\" data-end=\"483\">In a move both symbolic and provocative, Tony Ferguson \u2014 one of the most controversial figures in UFC lightweight history \u2014 has weighed in on a question that continues to echo throughout the MMA world: <strong data-start=\"425\" data-end=\"483\">Who is better: Islam Makhachev or Khabib Nurmagomedov?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\" data-start=\"485\" data-end=\"712\">This is no longer a fan debate; it has become a legitimate topic in analytical circles, especially now that Makhachev has defended his title four times, surpassing his mentor Khabib, who retired after just three title defenses.<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: justify;\" data-start=\"714\" data-end=\"746\">From Scores to Sensitivities<\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\" data-start=\"748\" data-end=\"882\">In a candid interview with Helen Yee, Ferguson \u2014 who was scheduled to face Khabib five times before each bout was canceled \u2014 stated:<\/p>\n<blockquote data-start=\"883\" data-end=\"976\">\n<p data-start=\"885\" data-end=\"976\">\u201cI think Makhachev is the better wrestler. He\u2019s faster, and Khabib is a bit more reserved\u2026&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\" data-start=\"978\" data-end=\"1217\">The statement rekindles the dormant rivalry between Ferguson and Khabib. While the two never faced off, the evaluation of legacy and the deconstruction of Khabib\u2019s aura continues \u2014 a fighter long seen as one of the greatest in UFC history.<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: justify;\" data-start=\"1219\" data-end=\"1261\">Is the Move to 170 lbs a Masterstroke?<\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\" data-start=\"1263\" data-end=\"1474\">Ferguson called Makhachev\u2019s potential move to 170 lbs \u201ca smart step to build a legacy,\u201d opening up a new line of thought:<br data-start=\"1384\" data-end=\"1387\" \/>Is Khabib\u2019s legacy truly threatened \u2014 not by critics, but by someone from his own camp?<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\" data-start=\"1476\" data-end=\"1566\">Could Makhachev, a product of the same school and philosophy, actually surpass his mentor?<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\"  id=\"_ytid_14299\"  width=\"696\" height=\"391\"  data-origwidth=\"696\" data-origheight=\"391\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/K1j6QlQDzf4?enablejsapi=1&#038;autoplay=0&#038;cc_load_policy=0&#038;cc_lang_pref=&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;loop=0&#038;modestbranding=0&#038;rel=1&#038;fs=1&#038;playsinline=0&#038;autohide=2&#038;theme=dark&#038;color=red&#038;controls=1&#038;\" class=\"__youtube_prefs__  epyt-is-override  no-lazyload\" title=\"YouTube player\"  allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen data-no-lazy=\"1\" data-skipgform_ajax_framebjll=\"\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: justify;\" data-start=\"1568\" data-end=\"1612\">Has Khabib\u2019s Aura Faded Post-Retirement?<\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\" data-start=\"1614\" data-end=\"1915\">It\u2019s especially notable that this insight comes from Ferguson, a man who long dreamed of facing Khabib. Though the eagle retired at the peak of his powers, El Cucuy insists on keeping his legacy open to review \u2014 as if to say, \u201cYou didn\u2019t fight me, and retirement doesn\u2019t mean you\u2019re above comparison.\u201d<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\" data-start=\"1917\" data-end=\"2140\">Ferguson\u2019s support for Makhachev appears rooted not in bias, but in data: wrestling style, adaptability, mental sharpness \u2014 all factors that point to an evolving fighter prepared to dominate beyond the lightweight division.<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: justify;\" data-start=\"2147\" data-end=\"2179\">Thought-Provoking Questions:<\/h3>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\" data-start=\"2181\" data-end=\"2457\">\n<li data-start=\"2181\" data-end=\"2265\">\n<p data-start=\"2183\" data-end=\"2265\">Is Khabib\u2019s legacy gradually losing its shine under Makhachev\u2019s growing dominance?<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"2266\" data-end=\"2319\">\n<p data-start=\"2268\" data-end=\"2319\">Are title defenses a reliable metric for greatness?<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"2320\" data-end=\"2393\">\n<p data-start=\"2322\" data-end=\"2393\">Could Makhachev\u2019s move to welterweight reshape the top tier of the UFC?<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"2394\" data-end=\"2457\">\n<p data-start=\"2396\" data-end=\"2457\">Is a new narrative forming around &#8220;who&#8217;s truly the greatest&#8221;?<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\"  id=\"_ytid_39021\"  width=\"696\" height=\"391\"  data-origwidth=\"696\" data-origheight=\"391\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/WMlusx1Ed1Q?enablejsapi=1&#038;autoplay=0&#038;cc_load_policy=0&#038;cc_lang_pref=&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;loop=0&#038;modestbranding=0&#038;rel=1&#038;fs=1&#038;playsinline=0&#038;autohide=2&#038;theme=dark&#038;color=red&#038;controls=1&#038;\" class=\"__youtube_prefs__  epyt-is-override  no-lazyload\" title=\"YouTube player\"  allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen data-no-lazy=\"1\" data-skipgform_ajax_framebjll=\"\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\" data-start=\"2459\" data-end=\"2695\">This is more than just a headline \u2014 it\u2019s a deep-rooted reflection on <em data-start=\"2528\" data-end=\"2549\">what defines legacy<\/em>: performance or perception?<br data-start=\"2577\" data-end=\"2580\" \/>In MMA, every word carries weight, and every opinion can spark a war \u2014 even if it never happens inside the Octagon.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In a move both symbolic and provocative, Tony Ferguson \u2014 one of the most controversial figures in UFC lightweight history \u2014 has weighed in on a question that continues to echo throughout the MMA world: Who is better: Islam Makhachev or Khabib Nurmagomedov? This is no longer a fan debate; it has become a legitimate [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":6056,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[45,86,21,91],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-6055","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-mma","8":"category-mma-video","9":"category-ufc-news","10":"category-ufc"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/mmamag.ma\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6055"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/mmamag.ma\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/mmamag.ma\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mmamag.ma\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mmamag.ma\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6055"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/mmamag.ma\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6055\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6057,"href":"https:\/\/mmamag.ma\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6055\/revisions\/6057"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mmamag.ma\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6056"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/mmamag.ma\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6055"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mmamag.ma\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6055"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mmamag.ma\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6055"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}