Midnight Mania! Tony Ferguson explains ‘McNuggets’ jab – ‘Money made Conor McGregor soft’

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Welcome to Midnight Mania! Tonight, we’ve got Tony Ferguson explaining the difference between himself and Conor McGregor, Roy Jones Jr. wanting in on the Mayweather-McGregor card opposite Anderson Silva, Georges St-Pierre back to training early, Matt Mitrione dealing with all of 24 kidney stones, Evil Sage Northcutt comics, knockouts, flips, and much more.

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Insomnia

Tony Ferguson has something to say. In an interview with ESPN.com, he explained how his mindset differs from Conor McGregor’s, and where he is at mentally ahead of his pivotal interim Lightweight championship bout at UFC 209.

“Absolutely not,” said Ferguson, when asked if defeating Nurmagomedov would prove he’s the best lightweight. “That’s the difference between myself and everybody else. Obviously, I haven’t had too many flawless victories, so until then, I’m going to be a student.

This mentality, the desire to stay hungry by never seeing himself as someone who has “arrived,” stands in sharp contrast with McGregor, who has proclaimed himself the best in the game since he debuted in UFC. Ferguson sees the diametrically-opposed viewpoints as an advantage for him. He has referred to McGregor as a “fart in the wind” who will soon pass on from the sport. While Ferguson will never achieve the crossover superstardom enjoyed by McGregor, he is content with taking his own path.

“I’m not going to start thinking I’m the shit or focusing on Conor. I’m going to stay grounded, humbled and keep earning my way to victory. ‘TSKYH’ is tattooed on my arm. ‘Think Strong Keep Your Head.’ That means don’t be floating in the clouds.”

Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images

In Ferguson’s estimation, McGregor’s promotional hot air has taken him far from the clear-eyed view of himself that a fighter needs to keep improving. McGregor has demonstrated the ability to view his performances dispassionately and objectively, a trait that was most clearly evident immediately following his loss to Nate Diaz, but it can be hard to distinguish between what is hype and what he truly believes. The ever-present danger with fighters as confident as McGregor is that they buy into their gimmick. Ferguson is convinced that McGregor at this point in his career is more illusion than reality. Hence the nickname, “McNuggets.”

“Money made McGregor soft,” Ferguson said. “I say ‘McNuggets,’ because he’s made of that fake shit, that pink stuff from McDonalds that nobody wants. Do I get a little pissed [I’m asked about him]? Yeah, I get a little heated. But the real belt is between myself and Khabib. He’s 24-0. Dude, I forget how many wins I have. I don’t even care anymore. Those numbers keep racking up.”

I’ve never been a fan of “McNuggets” as an insult or a food, but now that he explains it, it is a jab that makes sense. Nate Diaz showed the value of painting McGregor as “fake,” and his lack of concern for defending his belt surely lends weight to Ferguson’s claim that his bout with Nurmagomedov is for the “real belt.”

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Bobs and Weaves

Roy Jones Jr. has decided all this cross-promotional Mayweather-McGregor talk might as well include him, too. Anderson Silva has been clear on his desire for this Roy Jones Jr. fight in the past. If the ridiculous fantasy that is Mayweather-McGregor ever did come to fruition, this would be the perfect co-main event.

GSP is training early in NYC!

Derrick Lewis promises this is the last one, and so do I. It’s pretty well done though.

Fine… ONE MORE

This is hard to watch, but then 24 kidney stones sounds incredibly painful, too.

When you don’t ever, EVER let your friend skip leg day:

I dislike this strongly:

Speaking of karate guys …

This makes little sense, but I like the advice, “get some karate in your life” — everyone can and should follow that.

Troubled former NFL defensive end Greg Hardy is training at American Top Team. He looks to be making significant progress judging from this video from TMZ, not surprising for an athlete of his caliber. His stance still looks hunched and awkward, but the power and fluidity with his hands is there. The man he is training next to who appears to be Anderson “Braddock” Silva, a high-level pro Heavyweight kickboxer.

Elias Theodorou, fresh off his win at UFC: “Halifax,” poses with a giant Belgian shepherd dog. I’m a little jealous — I’ve always wanted a Malinois, the short-haired version of the four Belgian shepherd variants. It’s adorable.

That’s cold …

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Quick Hits

• Rick Story is already working on a second career as a firefighter because he can’t retire on an MMA fighter salary. His frustration with how he is treated reminds me of the final scene in Bourne Supremacy, in which Bourne’s last line is, “Look what they make you give.” Fighters looking for other careers will be an ongoing issue if fighter pay is not improved.
• Fomer UFC fighter Terry Etim threw himself headfirst into traffic today, and is in serious condition at the hospital. It sounds really awful, so send him your thoughts and prayers.
• Stephen Thompson has packed on eight pounds of muscle ahead of his UFC 209 rematch with Tyron Woodley. Will it make a difference?
• There are several outstanding technical pieces out there you should read. Jack Slack and the Naked Gambler both break it down. Andy Richardson also broke down the debut of an impressive Featherweight from Newfoundland, Gavin Tucker

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Slips, Rips, and Awesome Clips

Straight Matrix level ninja kicks

This is still as impressive as heck.

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Podcasts and Video

UFC: “Halifax:” How Derrick Lewis kills and roasts his prey (Heavy Hands #147)

MMA Ratings, discussing Josh Thomson, Josh Koscheck and UFC Fight Night 105: “Lewis vs. Browne:”

Luke Thomas’ Live Chat:

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Stay woke, Maniacs!