Because of a seemingly elusive title shot at lightweight, Tony Ferguson is now considering a move up to welterweight.
Lightweight contender Tony Ferguson has been at the top of the division for a while now. Despite a six-year undefeated run “El Cucuy” has yet to fight for the undisputed 155-pound title.
The coveted championship will be vied for at UFC 242, when champion Khabib Nurmagomedov defends it for the first time against interim titleholder Dustin Poirier. Ferguson, of course, is one of the interested spectators, watching closely should either one of the fighters fall off the card for whatever reason.
“We’re fighting for a title either way,” Ferguson told MMA Junkie at the UFC Hall of Fame ceremony on Friday. “Superfights and all that would be interesting as far as (Conor McGregor) and all that good stuff, but Khabib and Poirier, (I’ll take the) winner of that obviously or if someone falls out for the title, for the belt.”
At the same time, Ferguson says he is also considering an eventual jump to welterweight.
“Yeah, absolutely,” Ferguson said of a move up in weight. “I’m getting bored. I beat everybody (expletive). They send me up to 170 (pounds), I’m going to tell them that I’m up there to collect rent.
“I get to boot their (expletive) to 155 (pounds) now,” he continued. “It’s funny how that happens. I started at 170, I moved to 155, and I might have to go back up, but it’s part of the program. It’s part of the game.
“Later on I can knock out everybody at 170, but literally the most important thing right now is Khabib. Give me that belt.”
Ferguson will have to wait his turn until after UFC 242, which takes place on September 7th in Abu Dhabi. It will be co-headlined by another 155-pound tiff between Edson Barboza and Paul Felder.