Daniel Cormier confidently claims Khabib Nurmagomedov was going to "smash" Tony Ferguson if they'd ever fought

Daniel Cormier (left), Khabib Nurmagomedov and Tony Ferguson (center), Nurmagomedov (right) [Images courtesy of @dc_mma on Instagram and @mmafighting on Twitter]

UFC Hall of Famer Daniel Cormier believes Khabib Nurmagomedov would have had no problem defeating Tony Ferguson if the pair had ever met in the octagon.

'DC' composed a list of his top five fights that never happened in the UFC. Cormier admitted that he put Nurmagomedov vs. Ferguson as fifth on the list because he was so confident with what the outcome would have been.

Speaking on the DC & RC show, the former champ-champ listed his reasons as to why he ranked 'The Eagle' vs. 'El Cucuy' so low:

"The only reason I have Khabib [Nurmagomedov] vs. Tony Ferguson so low is because I tend to know, even know most don't, what was going to happen in that fight. Khabib was going to smash him."

Can we hurry up and make it official. This fight gives me all the feels. Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Tony Ferguson poster by @Bosslogic. #UFC209 https://t.co/ShYRewUU7g

Regularly referred to as one of the most cursed fights in MMA history, Tony Ferguson vs. Khabib Nurmagomedov was booked and canceled five times before Nurmagomedov retired from the UFC. Between 2015-2017, a multitude of injuries and issues with gruelling weight cuts prevented the lightweight clash from happening three times.

The fourth cancellation in 2018 was perhaps the cruelest. Just days away from the fight, while filming for UFC media, Ferguson tripped on a camera cable and tore a ligament in his knee. The injury put the American out of action for a year.

The fifth and final time the UFC tried to book a fight between the pair was in 2020 at UFC 249. Everything looked set to go ahead. However, the COVID-19 pandemic and worldwide travel restrictions prevented Nurmagomedov from leaving Russia and flying to the USA.

Watch the latest episode of the DC & RC show here:

Khabib Nurmagomedov and Tony Ferguson could coach on The Ultimate Fighter

Although fans still long to see the pair face off in the octagon, they may yet see the two compete. Khabib Nurmagomedov has admitted he is interested in coaching against Tony Ferguson on The Ultimate Fighter (TUF), after 'El Cucuy' initially tweeted the idea to the Russian.

Speaking to ESPN MMA's Brett Okamoto, Nurmagomedov believes a TUF season between him and Ferguson would make for an entertaining show:

"I like this idea to be honest. I like this idea. We can do some stuff. Because right now it's like, not too many big stars in the UFC right now. Even myself I'm finished... like of course I don't like this guy but he have big name, Conor not there. Like lot of people is not there you know... If me and Tony, we're in The Ultimate Fighter coach, I think they can create some good content."

@AliAbdelaziz00 @j3clarke Greatest At Avoiding A Real🫵😎Fight 💯 Check It Out I’m The B.O.A.T. That’s The Best Of All Time 🚣‍♂️💨🍃 We Accept The TUF Offer Coaching Against Fathead, I’m Sure He Won’t Show Up Like UFC🎫249 Watch- Champ 🥇 -CSO- 🇺🇸🏆🇲🇽 # ♟ Check https://t.co/DTtzMzwQlX

While it certainly won't live up to the same hype as seeing the two elite lightweights go toe-to-toe, it could help close the chapter in what is regarded as one of the biggest 'what if' rivalries in MMA.

Catch Khabib Nurmagomedov's interview with ESPN MMA here: