Former UFC interim lightweight champion Tony Ferguson is on the hunt for a new coach following his most recent knockout loss.
Ferguson fell to Michael Chandler via second-round head kick knockout on the UFC 274 main card. After getting off to a good start in the opening round, he was caught with a front kick to the face from Chandler that knocked him out cold.
Ferguson has now lost four straight, with his recent struggles beginning with his interim title loss to Justin Gaethje at UFC 249. His then-cornerman, world-renowned Jiu-Jitsu specialist Eddie Bravo, revealed that he didn’t feel he belonged in Ferguson’s corner for the fight.
Ferguson and Bravo would part ways following the Gaethje loss, but Ferguson would continue to deal with issues with his coaches. After suffering significant damage in his recent performances, he briefly trained with legendary boxing coach Freddie Roach.
But Ferguson’s partnership with Roach wouldn’t last long, and Ferguson is looking for a clean slate as he is looking to snap his losing skid.
During a recent interview with MMA Junkie, Ferguson opened up on what he wants ahead of his next fight camp.
“If I’m playing a video game, I’m like, okay, these are all the things I’m supposed to collect. You got your side quests all done… but I still wanna play this one over again, so I’m kinda reinserting the disc, I’m kinda starting it over again,” Ferguson said. “I know what’s gonna happen inside that Octagon, I know I’m gonna win, but I gotta put in the effort.
“You can’t see the end credits unless you put in that time in the beginning all the way through. Like in a role-playing game, you collect all these things for a long time, but you start the game over you get to start with nothing. That’s exactly what I’m fucking doing. I’m going back, I’m bare, I’m fucking naked… and I’m just hoping that someone sees the opportunity to coach someone who wants to be coached. That’s all I’m asking, that’s all I’m gonna do, too.”
At one point, Ferguson was regarded as arguably one of the best fighters in the sport, but he hasn’t been able to get over the hump and claim the lightweight throne.
Ferguson earned a shot in the UFC following a win over Ramsey Nijem on The Ultimate Fighter 13. He would go on a 12-fight winning streak but multiple attempts at a matchup with Khabib Nurmagomedov wouldn’t materialize.
At 38 years old, Ferguson seems to be on the physical downswing of his career in the Octagon. But, he’s looking for a team that is willing to pick up a hungry veteran to add to the gym culture.
Which coach do you want to see team up with Tony Ferguson?
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