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Tony Ferguson will face Justin Gaethje for the interim lightweight title in the revamped main event for UFC 249, which is set to go down on April 18, 2020 at a location that is yet-to-be determined. The bout came to be after Khabib Nurmagomedov was unable to leave Russia due to a travel restrictions implemented by Vladimir Putin as a result of Covid-19.
Before “El Cucuy” attempts to win his second interim strap, let’s take a stroll down memory lane to see one of his most impressive performances. Back at UFC 229, Ferguson squared off against former 155-pound champion, Anthony Pettis, in what was one of the most anticipated events of the year.
From the jump, it was clear that bout would be played out on the feet. As usual, Ferguson pushed the pace, stalking the former champ, who popped off shots of his own when he found his openings. Nine seconds into the second frame, “Showtime” clipped “El Cucuy” with right hand, sending him crashing to the canvas. Showing his cat-like reflexes, Ferguson popped right back up, only to get dropped again a few seconds later. To his credit, though, Tony weathered Anthony’s onslaught and bounced back to finish the round strong. After round two, both men were left a bloody mess.
Unfortunately, that would mark the end of the exciting bout, as Pettis’ corner called the fight due to a broken hand. As a result, Ferguson scored his eleventh straight win. Now, “El Cucuy” will once again look to secure another booking against Nurmagomedov later this year by taking out one of the most exciting and dangerous fighters in MMA history.