Tag: Tony Ferguson

Tony Ferguson responds to Khabib Nurmagomedov’s latest jibe: ‘Coward like chicken, keep hiding’

Tony Ferguson responds to Khabib Nurmagomedov's latest jibe: 'Coward like chicken, keep hiding'Off the back of his record-setting eight fight losing skid, former interim lightweight champion, Tony Ferguson has once more…

Tony Ferguson responds to Khabib Nurmagomedov's latest jibe: 'Coward like chicken, keep hiding'

Off the back of his record-setting eight fight losing skid, former interim lightweight champion, Tony Ferguson has once more hit out in response to long-time UFC enemy, Khabib Nurmagomedov — who claimed the Oxnard natie would only stand a chance of beating him in any failed former fight if he landed a “lucky” shot.

Ferguson, a former interim lightweight titleholder, most recently featured at UFC Fight Night Abu Dhabi at the beginning of this month, dropping a first round rear-naked choke submission loss to fellow Ultimate Fighter winner, Michael Chiesea.

Tony Ferguson unsure on UFC retirement: 'I don't know anything else I can do'

The loss came as Ferguson’s eighth on the trot, which saw him overtake former two-weight titleholder, B.J. Penn for the longest losing skid in the history of the UFC.

However, earlier this week, a long-standing rivalry with former undisputed lightweight champion, Nurmagomedov was brought to the forefront once more, after the Russian claimed Tony Ferguson’s sole chance of beating him amid a slew of failed matchups would have come with him landing a lucky strike.

Tony Ferguson urged to retire against with UFC Abu Dhabi loss by Dana White I would like to see it
Mandatory Credit: Chris Unger – Zuffa LLC

Tony Ferguson responds to arch-rival, Khabib Nurmagomedov on social media

Hitting back at the Hall of Fame star, Ferguson accused him of “hiding” from a potential grudge match settler — before labelling him a “chicken”.

Michael Chiesa urges Tony Ferguson to retire after record UFC loss: 'I hope he just stops'

“”Lucky punch” now, was going to leave you alone, but ewe just couldn’t help it ya phat-phuhk,” Tony Ferguson posted on his official Instagram account. “What a f’kn puss-ee, coward like chicken keep hiding Khabieber 29-1. #ItsOnLikeDonkeyKongBiotch – champ -CSO- us mx #TiramisuTuesday commences until further notice, let ol’e fathead know what time it is crew.”

Retiring from combat sports back in 2020, Nurmagomedov most recently landed a second round triangle choke win over common-foe, Justin Gaethje in the pair’s lightweight title unification bout in Abu Dhabi, UAE — before he immediately called time on his career boasting an unbeaten 29-0 professional record.

Khabib Nurmagomedov “Sad” he never faced Tony Ferguson

Khabib Nurmagomedov "Sad" he never faced Tony FergusonKhabib Nurmagomedov regrets never fighting Tony Ferguson. Once upon a time when ‘El Cucuy‘ was sitting on an incredible…

Khabib Nurmagomedov "Sad" he never faced Tony Ferguson

Khabib Nurmagomedov regrets never fighting Tony Ferguson.

Once upon a time when ‘El Cucuy‘ was sitting on an incredible 12-fight win streak in the lightweight division, he was paired up with Nurmagomedov on no less than five occasions. The two fighters alternated withdrawals due to various injuries and weight-cutting issues before the final nail in the coffin came in 2020 when the UFC’s final attempt was called off due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Khabib and Tony Ferguson

Looking back on the fight that never was during an appearance on the Inspire Me Podcast, Nurmagomedov admitted to feeling sad that he never got the chance to compete against ‘El Cucuy’ inside the Octagon.

”I feel little bit sad,” Nurmagomedov revealed.

As for how their fight would have gone, ‘The Eagle’ believes Ferguson would have had a puncher’s chance, but that’s about it.

”My game is worse for him, he doesn’t have wrestling, grappling so what’s he gonna do with me? How’s he gonna stop me? Only chance he’d have to stop me is a lucky punch,” he continued. Like with everybody: Conor, Poirier, Justin Gaethje. They talk about ‘They can stop him if they get a lucky punch.” (h/t Sportskeeda).

Khabib vs. Tony Ferguson

Tony Ferguson has not won since his last attempt to fight Khabib fell through

Tony Ferguson currently finds himself on an eight-fight win streak dating back to May 2020, a month after his last attempt to fight Nurmagomedov fell through. Along the way, he’s suffered losses against lightweight stars including Justin Gaethje, Charles Oliveira, Michael Chandler, Nate Diaz, and Paddy Pimblett.

His latest defeat, a first-round submission at the hands of TUF alumnus Michael Chiesa, officially broke the streak for most losses in a row, previously held by former two-division champion B.J. Penn.

dm 240803 UFC Ferguson taps to Chiesa in round one

Everyone expected Ferguson to finally lay down his gloves and call it a career following the fight, but ‘El Cucuy’ continued to leave the door open for another fight, even if it meant competing outside of the UFC.

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Michael Chiesa Recalls ‘That Version’ Of Tony Ferguson: ‘I Will Go Out On A Limb & Say I Think He Could Have Beat Khabib Nurmagomedov ‘

At one point in time, Khabib Nurmagomedov versus Tony Ferguson was right at the top of every MMA fan’s bucket list for fights they wanted to see. Despite the two men undergoing multiple training camps and fights weeks in preparation for one another, it never did materialize during their careers. With Nurmagomedov retiring in 2020, […]

Continue Reading Michael Chiesa Recalls ‘That Version’ Of Tony Ferguson: ‘I Will Go Out On A Limb & Say I Think He Could Have Beat Khabib Nurmagomedov ‘ at MMA News.

At one point in time, Khabib Nurmagomedov versus Tony Ferguson was right at the top of every MMA fan’s bucket list for fights they wanted to see.

Despite the two men undergoing multiple training camps and fights weeks in preparation for one another, it never did materialize during their careers.

With Nurmagomedov retiring in 2020, history has been much kinder to him as he walked away from the sport with his undefeated record intact.

Ferguson at his peak was able to match the lightweight winning streak of “The Eagle” but he now finds himself holding the UFC record for the most consecutive losses.

That being said, it can’t be forgotten just how desirable this fight was when both men were beating everyone else at 155 pounds.

Michael Chiesa Says 2016 Tony Ferguson Could Have Beaten Khabib Nurmagomedov

In a recent interview with BJPenn.com, Michael Chiesa spoke about how he prepared to face Ferguson at the recent UFC Fight Night event in Abu Dhabi.

He revealed how rather than watching his opponent’s latest outings, he went back to watching the very best of the former interim lightweight champion in order to make sure that he was training to fight Ferguson at full force.

Chiesa would go on to win the fight via a submission but watching footage on his opponent only made him appreciate the winning run that he went on between 2013-2019, even more.

He said that in one of the biggest “what ifs” in MMA history, he believes that the 2016 version of “El Cucuy” in particular had a strong chance of handing Nurmagomedov his first and only loss if they had met inside the Octagon 8 years ago.

“I will admit like going back and watching some of his recent fights, I wouldn’t say gave me a false sense of security but I was definitely like this isn’t the film to watch, I’m going to go back and watch the film that I was watching to prepare for him in 2016. I watched that Rafael Dos Anjos fight a lot because I feel like that version of Tony Ferguson that we saw in the Octagon against Rafael Dos Anjos, I feel like he could have beat anybody in the world. I mean, I will go out on a limb and say I think that he could have beaten Khabib Nurmagomedov if that was the version of him. I think that was his peak. The peak was RDA and even though he still won fights from there, I still think it started to go down a little bit.”

Read also: Belal Muhammad On Khabib Nurmagomedov’s Ability 4 Years On From Retirement: ‘Could Come Back & Be A Champion In Any Division’

Continue Reading Michael Chiesa Recalls ‘That Version’ Of Tony Ferguson: ‘I Will Go Out On A Limb & Say I Think He Could Have Beat Khabib Nurmagomedov ‘ at MMA News.

Michael Chiesa urges Tony Ferguson to retire after record UFC loss: ‘I hope he just stops’

Michael Chiesa urges Tony Ferguson to retire after record UFC loss: 'I hope he just stops'Off the back of his impressive opening round submission win over former interim lightweight champion, Tony Ferguson – fellow…

Michael Chiesa urges Tony Ferguson to retire after record UFC loss: 'I hope he just stops'

Off the back of his impressive opening round submission win over former interim lightweight champion, Tony Ferguson – fellow TUF winner, Michael Chiesa has urged the Oxnard native to finally shut the door on his faltering combat sports career.

Ferguson, a former interim lightweight champion and winner of The Ultimate Fighter at the welterweight limit, set an unwanted record earlier this month at UFC Abu Dhabi, suffering an eighth consecutive defeat in a rear-naked choke loss to the above-mentioned, Chiesa.

Tony Ferguson unsure on UFC retirement: 'I don't know anything else I can do'

And with the loss, Tony Ferguson, a one-time record-setting 12-fight winning streaker at the lightweight limit, surpassed former two-division champion, B.J. Penn as the fighter with the longest losing skid in the history of the organization.

Michael Chiesa urges Tony Ferguson to retire amid UFC Abu Dhabi loss

Weighing up his fighting future after claiming he had nothing else he could turn his hand to in life if he ended his combat sports career, Ferguson has been urged to nevertheless hang up his gloves once and for all by Chiesa.

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“I hope he (Tony Ferguson) just stops competing,” Michael Chiesa told BJ Penn. “If he wants to scratch that itch and compete, I’m sure there are a lot of Jiu-Jitsu promotions that would pay Tony a lot of money to grapple. I just don’t want to see him take any headshots anymore. That is speaking to a brother that I’m in the same fraternity with. Him and I both won The Ultimate Fighter, I say that with compassion.”

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“You can still make omney and compete in Jiu-Jitsu, I just don’t think it is a financial thing for Tony,” Chiesa explained. “I think he is a fierce competitor, the guy likes to compete, he is very athletic, I just don’t think he should take any shots anymore.”

And amid claims from Ferguson how he would seek booking in another promotion if UFC boss, Dana White decides to prevent him from fighting, Chiesa claims a move to another organization is not a good option either.

“…I’m pretty sure that will be the last time we see him in the UFC,” Chiesa said. “The only way you want to keep him in the UFC is to protect him from the people outside the UFC that are going to try and sign him.”

Michael Chiesa urges Tony Ferguson to retire after record UFC loss: ‘I hope he just stops’

Michael Chiesa urges Tony Ferguson to retire after record UFC loss: 'I hope he just stops'Off the back of his impressive opening round submission win over former interim lightweight champion, Tony Ferguson – fellow…

Michael Chiesa urges Tony Ferguson to retire after record UFC loss: 'I hope he just stops'

Off the back of his impressive opening round submission win over former interim lightweight champion, Tony Ferguson – fellow TUF winner, Michael Chiesa has urged the Oxnard native to finally shut the door on his faltering combat sports career.

Ferguson, a former interim lightweight champion and winner of The Ultimate Fighter at the welterweight limit, set an unwanted record earlier this month at UFC Abu Dhabi, suffering an eighth consecutive defeat in a rear-naked choke loss to the above-mentioned, Chiesa.

Tony Ferguson unsure on UFC retirement: 'I don't know anything else I can do'

And with the loss, Tony Ferguson, a one-time record-setting 12-fight winning streaker at the lightweight limit, surpassed former two-division champion, B.J. Penn as the fighter with the longest losing skid in the history of the organization.

Michael Chiesa urges Tony Ferguson to retire amid UFC Abu Dhabi loss

Weighing up his fighting future after claiming he had nothing else he could turn his hand to in life if he ended his combat sports career, Ferguson has been urged to nevertheless hang up his gloves once and for all by Chiesa.

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“I hope he (Tony Ferguson) just stops competing,” Michael Chiesa told BJ Penn. “If he wants to scratch that itch and compete, I’m sure there are a lot of Jiu-Jitsu promotions that would pay Tony a lot of money to grapple. I just don’t want to see him take any headshots anymore. That is speaking to a brother that I’m in the same fraternity with. Him and I both won The Ultimate Fighter, I say that with compassion.”

Ferguson 2

“You can still make omney and compete in Jiu-Jitsu, I just don’t think it is a financial thing for Tony,” Chiesa explained. “I think he is a fierce competitor, the guy likes to compete, he is very athletic, I just don’t think he should take any shots anymore.”

And amid claims from Ferguson how he would seek booking in another promotion if UFC boss, Dana White decides to prevent him from fighting, Chiesa claims a move to another organization is not a good option either.

“…I’m pretty sure that will be the last time we see him in the UFC,” Chiesa said. “The only way you want to keep him in the UFC is to protect him from the people outside the UFC that are going to try and sign him.”

UFC star Islam Makhachev rips Tony Ferguson’s BJJ black belt: ‘They get a gift’

UFC star Islam Makhachev rips Tony Ferguson's BJJ black belt: 'They get a gift'Undisputed lightweight champion, Islam Makhachev has laid into a slew of contenders at the lightweight limit – including former…

UFC star Islam Makhachev rips Tony Ferguson's BJJ black belt: 'They get a gift'

Undisputed lightweight champion, Islam Makhachev has laid into a slew of contenders at the lightweight limit – including former foe, Dustin Poirier, and ex-interim champion, Tony Ferguson – questioning their statuses as black belts in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

Makhachev, the current undisputed 155lbs gold holder and pound-for-pound number one, has been sidelined since he submitted the above-mentioned, Poirier at UFC 302, defending his crown with a fifth round D’Arce choke submission win in Newark.

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And expected to headline UFC 308 at the end of October, Islam Makhachev was ruled from a targeted return in Abu Dhabi, with an unspecified arm injury ruling him from a rematch fight with surging number one contender, Arman Tsarukyan.

Islam Makhachev rips Tony Ferguson’s status as a BJJ black belt

Seeing a title fight at the featherweight limit between the unbeaten, Ilia Topuria and the symbolic BMF champion, Max Holloway take place at UFC 308 in his place, Makhachev has hit out at supposed black belt grapplers in his division – including the previously mentioned, Ferguson – as well as promotional star, Paddy Pimblett. 

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“No, he (Tony Ferguson) don’t have [a] black belt,” Islam Makhachev said during an interview with Hosheh MMA. “He has a couple of things on the ground that he did with many fighters. But he is not a real black belt. I work with real black belts; it’s so tough. For the fighters, they get a gift. Some don’t deserve it.”

Setting an unwanted record in his most recent Octagon appearance at UFC Abu Dhabi this month, Ferguson suffered his eighth straight loss in the form of a first round rear-naked choke defeat to Michael Chiesa in the pair’s rescheduled pairing in the United Arab Emirates.

Tony Ferguson unsure on UFC retirement: 'I don't know anything else I can do'

Earlier this month to boot, Makhachev was also linked with a potential move to the middleweight limit in pursuit of a second title – with his coach backing him to be competitive as high as 185lbs.