‘Savagery’: Khabib issues ice-cold putdown of Tony Ferguson in hilarious Twitter exchange

They failed to meet inside the octagon despite five attempts to do so, but the rivalry between former UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov and Tony Ferguson is still simmering as much as ever.

Khabib is currently enjoying his retirement after going out on top and undefeated, while Ferguson is attempting to rebuild his late-stage career after suffering back-to-back defeats inside the octagon. 

Despite their different pursuits these days, Khabib and ‘El Cucuy’ clearly still have time to prod each other on social media, as evidenced by a hilarious back-and-forth between the pair on Wednesday.

Taking to Twitter, Ferguson shared a clip of his staredown with Khabib from UFC 209 back in 2017 –ahead of the pair's interim lightweight title fight which would later fall through when the Dagestani was hospitalized due to weight-cut problems.

Taunting Khabib over his supposed love of cake, Ferguson labelled the Russian a “fathead” while adding the hashtag “You’ll See Me Soon Buddy” – hinting at lingering hopes to meet Khabib in the octagon one day, despite the latter being very much retired.

When it arrived, Khabib’s comeback started pleasantly enough – even wishing Ferguson and his family well – before skewering him in the Russian’s classic deadpan style.

“You have a fight soon, your opponent is very tough and most underestimated in lightweight division, focus on him," Khabib wrote. 

"I wish you and your family best, even though you look like a shit.”

The grammatical usage at the end was the cherry on the tiramisu as Khabib doled out the putdown in his inimitable English style. 

Fans were certainly amused, with one screaming: “Khabib Nurmagomedov woke up today and chose ultimate savagery.”

While Khabib can afford to let his hair down after retiring at 29-0, Ferguson is aiming to rebuild after suffering successive defeats to Justin Gaethje and Charles Oliveira.

The first of those losses – which came when Gaethje stepped in for Khabib amid the Covid-19 pandemic last year – snapped a 12-fight winning streak for the American lightweight star.

Ferguson, 37, will attempt to pick up the pieces against surging 155lbs contender Beneil Dariush at UFC 262 next month.

The Iranian-born Dariush, 31, is riding a six-fight hot streak heading into the bout, having beaten Carlos Diego Ferreira last time out in February.

Khabib, meanwhile, has been dismissive of Ferguson's ability to bounce back, saying before his loss to Oliveria: "Tony Ferguson's time is finished. Now he's going to come back and someone is going to beat him again, I believe.

"When you take damage like this, you're never going to be the same - never ever, even if you're Tony Ferguson. He's taken too much damage."

While MMA fans may never have got their wish to see Ferguson and Khabib share the octagon, they can at least continue to enjoy their social media sparing sessions.