Lightweight Ferguson Coming To Collect Welterweight Rent

Sounds like former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) interim lightweight champion, Tony Ferguson, is tired of “wishy-washy” Dana White putting the 155-pound division on hold every time Conor McGregor takes a dump.
Which is why he’s conte…

Sounds like former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) interim lightweight champion, Tony Ferguson, is tired of “wishy-washy” Dana White putting the 155-pound division on hold every time Conor McGregor takes a dump.

Which is why he’s contemplating a career change.

Ferguson (25-3), who started his mixed martial arts (MMA) career at welterweight, is considering a move back to 170 pounds, just as soon as he captures the lightweight crown from the winner of Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Dustin Poirier, who collide in the UFC 242 main event.

“Later on I can knockout everybody at 170, but literally the most important thing right now is Khabib,” Ferguson told MMA Junkie. “Give me that belt. I’m getting bored. They send me up to 170, I’m going to tell them that I’m up there to collect rent. I get to boot their (expletive) to 155 now. 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.”

In the old days, fighters were taught to move down in weight to maximize their potential. Now it seems they’re doing the opposite — with greater results. Robert Whittaker went from welterweight to middleweight and now rules the division with an iron fist.

Likewise for Anthony Smith and Thiago Santos, two middleweight journeymen who jumped up to light heavyweight and blasted their way to a Jon Jones title shot. Now it sounds like it’s time for Ferguson, 35, to see if the grass truly is greener on the other side.

Should guys like Tyron Woodley be looking over their shoulders?