Former UFC title contender Tony Ferguson said he believes that at his peak he would have defeated current champion Islam Makhachev.

Ferguson, now 41 and competing in boxing as the Misfits Boxing interim middleweight champion, made the statement in an interview with Helen Yee Sports, revisiting his long-standing (but never realised) rivalry with Makhachev and his mentor, former champion Khabib Nurmagomedov.

“To me, in my opinion, Islam was one of the dudes that always had Khabib in the practice room,” Ferguson said, according to MMA Fighting. “At the time … just feeling like when ‘Aljo’ left then Merab finally started to shine and stuff. It’s the same thing with Khabib and Islam.” He added, “But in in my prime, kick your ass.”

Ferguson also acknowledged Makhachev’s recent success and suggested that perhaps Makhachev was a better fighter than Nurmagomedov all along, but was overshadowed out of respect while training under him. “I think when Khabib’s dad was there … I think at the end of the day, we’re all athletes … We’re trying to pass it and pay it forward to the next generation of athletes,” he said.

Looking ahead, Ferguson is scheduled to defend his Misfits Boxing middleweight title on December 20 in Dubai, while he remains coy about a potential return to MMA. He said he would consider competing again if a high-profile bout could be arranged, such as at a proposed UFC event at the White House.

Ferguson and Makhachev represent two very different eras and trajectories in the sport. Ferguson’s peak came in the UFC’s lighter weight divisions during an era of rapid evolution, while Makhachev has recently elevated himself by claiming a second division title and establishing himself among the top pound-for-pound fighters in MMA. As fans and pundits weigh Ferguson’s claim, only one thing is certain: the debate over “what if” remains very much alive.