Tony Ferguson is recovering nicely after suffering an all-time brutal knockout loss at the hands of a Michael Chandler front kick at UFC 274 earlier this month.
Ferguson had been returning after a one-year hiatus at UFC 274 and was trying to end a three-fight losing streak in the process. The veteran contender looked good in the early going and even briefly knocked Chandler down with a punch. That was until the second round when Chandler landed one of the most absurd knockouts of all time and left “El Cucuy” motionless on the floor.
The knockout finish was scary to see, but especially for a fighter like Ferguson who has never been stopped like that before. It took a few good minutes for the 38-year-old to regain consciousness and get back to his feet. Ferguson was visibly confused after the fact and simply didn’t seem right. MMA fans were understandably concerned.
Luckily, Ferguson seems to be making good strides in his recovery from one of the most intense knockouts we’ll ever see. “El Cucuy” delivered the following message via Instagram earlier this week to let fight fans know that he’s doing well.
“I took a big kick to the dome this past Saturday inside that Octagon. It put me out for a long time,” wrote Ferguson. “It was a scary feeling not remembering anything from beginning of second round all the way until I walked up to the ambulance. I thank God every day I made the trip back to reality.
“All jokes aside, I didn’t mean to scare you all, should have done things different like keep my ‘hands up and chin down’. My fault I lost, props to Chandler for the highlight reel [sic] finish. I have many things to work on, not just competing. One battle at a time.”
“I’m beyond grateful my movements are OK, my bones are intact and except for a slight headache in the mornings, I’m glad to be back and doing what I love,” continued Ferguson. “I want to be better than yesterday for sure, not for anyone else but for me.”
Fortunately, Ferguson still has some life left on his UFC journey. UFC president Dana White said before UFC 274 that “El Cucuy” wasn’t on the chopping block entering his fight with Chandler so he’ll still have some time to prove he remains a legitimate 155-pound thread.
That said, Ferguson should certainly take some time to make sure he’s feeling no effects from Chandler’s head kick and get back into training. He looked damn good before the knockout kick and still brings eyes to the sport each and every time he competes.