In-Depth UFC 249 Breakdown: Khabib Nurmagomedov Vs. Justin Gaethje

When you're comparing the records of these fighters, it might seem a little bit unfair at first. After all, Ferguson has more than double the amount of UFC appearances than his opponent. However, it's all about quality, not quantity in the fight game and both men have gone up against some really tough opponents to help them meet on their current collision course.

Ferguson beat a lot of good fighters during the early part of his career, but he was still very much a rookie in the sport, having only competed in MMA for three years. People really began to pay attention to him after he mauled and submitted lightweight gatekeeper Gleison Tibau in one round at UFC 184. After that, he went on a run of violently pulverising quality opponents like Josh Thomson, Kevin Lee, and Anthony Pettis.

While Gaethje didn't get to develop in front of UFC fans like his opponent, he still got some very solid challenges competing for the World Series of Fighting. He suffered a couple of losses when he joined the UFC. but they were a blessing in disguise as it forced him to evolve his fight style. That change in approach has helped brutally knock out James Vick, Edson Barboza and Donald Cerrone in his last three bouts.