Khabib Nurmagomedov thinks Tony Ferguson should retire: 'He was dominated in his last three bouts'

Khabib Nurmagomedov thinks Tony Ferguson should follow in his footsteps and call it a career.

Although for different reasons, the former UFC lightweight champion doesn’t think his rival Ferguson is the same fighter anymore. Once one of the most feared lightweights in the division, “El Cucuy” has endured three straight lopsided losses after amassing an impressive 12-fight winning streak.

“He is 38 years old,” Nurmagomedov told RT Sport. “Tell me how he can make a comeback? He was dominated in his last three bouts. Different styles – a striker, a grappler … (Beneil) Dariush, (Charles) Oliveira, (Justin) Gaethje – they all dominated him both standing up and on the ground. When you are 38, I believe you have to pull the brakes and there have to be people around him to say, ‘Hey, you are aging. You have to stop.'”

Nurmagomedov and Ferguson had been on a collision course for years, but after five scrapped bouts and “The Eagle’s” recent retirement, it’s highly unlikely to ever happen. While Ferguson is still holding on to hope that Nurmagomedov comes out of retirement so they can finally settle their score, Nurmagomedov thinks Ferguson has taken too much damage.

Nurmagomedov referenced teammate Shamil Zavurov, who though he’s had just one setback in almost five years, is 37. Zavurov has won five in a row, but Nurmagomedov would like to see him hang up his gloves before potentially taking unnecessary damage heading into his 40s.

“We have been saying that to Shamil for the last year and a half,” Nurmagomedov said. “Shamil is far from young, too. We gave our all to persuade him this should be his farewell fight, although if we had not told him that, he would’ve fought until he was 45. … Fighting is a tough business,  especially when you are not young and you keep getting knocked out. That affects your health. He has, like, more than 10 kids – he has to raise them.

“You have to think about the future, not just your MMA career. You turn 40, 50, 60 years old, how are you going to live life when you are over 50? You have to think about the future.”