The martial arts world has been set abuzz by a provocative statement from UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev. The Dagestani grappling specialist cast doubt on Tony Ferguson’s Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu credentials during an interview , sparking a cryptic response from the former interim lightweight champion.
Makhachev shared his candid opinions on various fighters’ BJJ skills. When asked about Ferguson’s black belt status, he remarked, “[Tony] Ferguson… No, he doesn’t have a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu. He is good with a couple of things on the ground. But he is not the real black belt.”
This bold assertion quickly made waves in the MMA community, given Ferguson’s reputation as a formidable grappler. ‘El Cucuy’ holds a black belt in 10th Planet Jiu-Jitsu, a non-traditional system founded by Eddie Bravo, known for its unorthodox leg lock attacks and innovative guard positions.
In response to Makhachev’s comments, Ferguson took to social media with a characteristically enigmatic reply, leaving fans and pundits alike to decipher its meaning. The exchange has reignited interest in a potential matchup between the two lightweight stars, a bout that has been long discussed but never materialized.
Interestingly, Makhachev’s critique wasn’t limited to Ferguson. He also weighed in on other notable UFC fighters’ grappling abilities. The Dagestani deemed former bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling worthy of his black belt, while suggesting that Dustin Poirier’s skills might be more aligned with a brown belt level.
Some argue that success in MMA doesn’t necessarily correlate with traditional BJJ rankings, while others maintain that these belts represent a crucial aspect of a fighter’s skill set.
