The Tony Ferguson song and dance doesn’t at all look like it will have a happy ending.
When Ferguson was booked to battle his fellow past winner of The Ultimate Fighter Michael Chiesa at UFC Abu Dhabi, it had MMA fans scratching their heads for several reasons. After seven consecutive losses, UFC CEO Dana White admitted he wanted to see the one-time interim lightweight champion call it a career with many in agreement. His return booking came as a surprise alone, but to have Nick Diaz initially on the card as well and not fight Ferguson was perplexing. If either had to fight anybody, pairing them together felt like the most, if not only, appropriate option.
After his performance against Chiesa this past Saturday, Ferguson (25-11) admitted it was a great fight week, but he did feel slow and sluggish in the octagon. Therefore, he lost by submission for the third time in four fights when Chiesa scored the first-round rear-naked choke. It was Ferguson’s first fight at welterweight since his fourth-round guillotine loss to Nate Diaz at UFC 279 in September 2022
“I felt sick,” Ferguson laughed in his UFC Abu Dhabi post-fight scrum (h/t The Mac Life). “I threw up probably like maybe three or four times being nervous as f*ck. I usually don’t get nervous but in the back, I was kind of yacking and dry-heaving, which was kind of funny how that works. This is the only sport that makes me do that. When it goes to any other thing, it’s kind of interesting how it goes. I think more than anything else because I want to perform to the best of my ability out here, and I really didn’t.
“There’s a lot of things, obviously, I need to work on but it’s all putting together. Obviously, getting in there and feeling more comfortable inside that octagon.”
Ferguson, 40, has been reluctant to retire throughout his record-setting streak of losses in UFC. Even after eight in a row, and being in better spirits likely thanks to a loss with no damage, Ferguson is noncommital on the idea. He’ll go back to his family, talk with his wife, and assess from there.
I know when it will [be time],” Ferguson said. “There’s a lot of things that I can and can’t do. I just teamed back up with my boy Anthony Gonzalez from American Gym. I felt this whole entire camp I had just gotten back into sparring where it was me putting myself back into a team. You have no idea how hard that is for me to be able to do that.”
The change in preparation was something Ferguson was very proud of at this stage and in a general sense, he explained. “El Cucuy” has historically been pretty private with his inner circles and felt it “took balls” to admit help was needed by going back to having an “actual” team for a fight again.
Another fight feels inevitable for Ferguson. Ultimately, it’s just a matter of whether or not the UFC wants to hold onto the perennial fan-favorite until the wheels fall even farther off. However, Outside of MMA, Ferguson lightened up when pondering wrestling or grappling-type competitions.
“What we do is we go do something else,” Ferguson answered when asked if the UFC would let him go. “I’m gonna be real, if those fans out there are willing enough to come out here and fly and spend thousands of dollars to come watch me compete somewhere, I guaran-fcking-tee you they’re gonna follow me somewhere. That’s the humblest thing I can fcking say because no matter where I’m at, no matter what I’m doing, I’m gonna get better and better and better and better. I feel like these grey hairs right here with the blonde hair are kind of slowly fading away, too. So, I might have to do something different.”
“I’m very honored to represent the UFC to the top of my abilities,” Ferguson told FULL SEND MMA. “I say I’m not ready, I’m not done yet, man, but I don’t know what to say. Should have went out there, should have got that W, obviously. I’m an athlete, I don’t know anything else to do besides go out there and f*cking play.”
The last win for Ferguson came in a thrilling Fight of the Night effort when he defeated future UFC Hall of Famer, Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone, via second round technical knockout in June 2019. After losing out on his unification bout as an interim champion from an injury the year prior, Ferguson (26-11) was led back to a shot at history to become a two-time interim titlist when he fought Justin Gaethje one year later.
He keeps saying he’s gonna get better but he only gets worse. He should retire and find a team where he can help training fighters and still be involved in the sport outside of actual fighting.
completely delusional`
I understand he’s built up a lot of goodwill over the years with egg / ufc but it’s time someone saved Tony from himself
Tony needs to be in a psych ward getting therapy, not getting punched in the head and choked unconscious. We all have very short memories. This whackadoo kidnapped his naked kid and ran off into the woods on foot just a few years ago ranting about his wife absconding to Italy.
Remember him on TUF? He’s a headcase. He found a great outlet during his physical prime (like strickland is doing right now), and he was in the top 1% to ever do it, but that time has passed. Someone who cares about him needs to intervene. He’s delusional and it’s apparent to everyone in the fight business and spectatorship, and also to those around him in his personal life.
Or not, who the fuck am I to say what a grown man should do. But anyone pretending he isnt seriously mental isnt being honest.
I didn’t even know people were talking about him versus Nick. That would have been a better fight for both. I just don’t understand UFC matchmaking in current times.
I’m sensing we will see him in Karate Combat
or Bella/PFL