Rafael dos Anjos is looking for a fight and has set his sights on Tony Ferguson. Dos Anjos was initially slated to fight Islam Makhachev at UFC 267 in October. However, the former champion had to pull out of the fight due to injury as he required surgery at the time. However, “RDA” is now […]
Rafael dos Anjos is looking for a fight and has set his sights on Tony Ferguson.
Dos Anjos was initially slated to fight Islam Makhachev at UFC 267 in October. However, the former champion had to pull out of the fight due to injury as he required surgery at the time.
However, “RDA” is now seemingly ready to return to action as he called out Ferguson for a February fight on Saturday.
“@TonyFergusonXT do you have plans for February 19? I gave @ufc green light on my end.”
@TonyFergusonXT do you have plans for February 19? I gave @ufc green light on my end.
Ferguson later responded without actually responding in typical “El Cucuy” fashion.
“Ahhh Hahhhhhh A Fellow Chucka’ Let Me Check With My Secretary PleaseHold….. laaaa daaaa dahhhhhh…. dahhh daaa dahhhhh. Duuuuu duuuuuuuuuuuuuuu doooooooooo -CSO- ”
Ahhh Hahhhhhh A Fellow Chucka’ Let Me Check With My Secretary PleaseHold….. laaaa daaaa dahhhhhh…. dahhh daaa dahhhhh. Duuuuu duuuuuuuuuuuuuuu doooooooooo -CSO- pic.twitter.com/X0yHSwmMEt
On this day five years ago, the MMA world was still eager to see a fight between Khabib Nurmagomedov and Tony Ferguson. In this article, Khabib does everything in his power to make the fight happen before it was ultimately booked as an interim lightwe…
On this day five years ago, the MMA world was still eager to see a fight between Khabib Nurmagomedov and Tony Ferguson. In this article, Khabib does everything in his power to make the fight happen before it was ultimately booked as an interim lightweight title bout at UFC 209, which he had to pull out from due to weight-cutting complications.
The following article is presented to you in its original, unaltered form, courtesy of The MMA News Archives.
On This Day Five Years Ago…
[ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED JANUARY 2, 2017, 4:59 PM]
HEADLINE: Khabib Nurmagomedov Willing To Pay Tony Ferguson to Fight
Author: Adam Haynes
Khabib Nurmagomedov took to social media this morning to offer Tony Ferguson a cash incentive to fight.
Conor McGregor may be the lightweight champion of the world, but there is a strong case to suggest that no one is more deserved of a title shot than “The Eagle”. Nurmagomedov is currently the #1-ranked lightweight in the UFC, and intends to secure a showdown with “The Notorious” by ensuring a clear path is made to a bout with the Irishman.
A much-anticipated bout between Nurmagomedov and Ferguson hit the skids last week after it emerged that Dana White had called it off on the grounds of a dispute over pay from the American’s camp. White is reluctant to negotiate on a contract that has recently been signed by Ferguson, suggesting that “El Cucuy” should honor the existing terms of their agreement. White [via Fox Sports] insisted:
“We were trying to make that fight — Tony said he will not do that fight unless he makes the same exact money that Khabib makes. Khabib has a different deal. That ain’t happening. Count that out.”
“He has a contract that he just signed, not long ago. I honor every contract no matter what it is. I get into some (expletive) deals, too. You’ve got a guy who’s making tons of money but he was a champion, but that was the deal I cut. I cut that deal and I signed it and I’ve got to live with my deal.”
Hey @TonyFergusonXT if the @ufc don't want to pay you I'll pay you 200k extra on your purse let's make this fight now you have no excuse
Nurmagomedov has handled this latest setback accordingly, offering $200,000 dollars to Ferguson from his own pocket. It appears that Russia’s premier UFC star will not entertain the idea of fighting anyone else other than Ferguson, going as far as suggesting that he is being kept from reaching the top via clandestine politics by the UFC top-brass. “The Eagle” took to Instagram recently to confirm that his sights are firmly set on the 155lb throne:
“This message to UFC — it is clear to everyone that you hiding Conor from me. But stop lying to your fans like I don’t want fight with Aldo, I’m ready to fight with anyone in my division. Give me relevant fight, so you won’t be able to hide the belt from me after. But not the fight, where people say after my victory: he is too small, Khabib too big for him etc”.
While there are many fights out there for the sambo-expert, not many can deny his credentials as a worthy challenger to McGregor. With the Dubliner having all but confirmed his temporary hiatus from the octagon for the foreseeable future, Nurmagomedov knows that he must remain active and solidify his status as the next man in line for a title shot. A victory against Tony Ferguson will surely stake his claim for a “red panty night”, and propel him closer to the fight which many believe is long overdue.
Former UFC interim lightweight title challenger Kevin Lee wasn’t ready for the spotlight that came with his fight against Tony Ferguson.
Lee was recently released by the UFC in a stunning move by the promotion. Despite losses in four of his last fi…
Former UFC interim lightweight title challenger Kevin Lee wasn’t ready for the spotlight that came with his fight against Tony Ferguson.
Lee was recently released by the UFC in a stunning move by the promotion. Despite losses in four of his last five fights, he had faced stiff competition, including Charles Oliveira and Rafael dos Anjos.
Lee’s first true taste of free agency didn’t last long, as he opted to sign with Khabib Nurmagomedov’s Eagle FC promotion. It was arguably the biggest signing by a mid-tier promotion in 2021.
Lee was once thought of as one of the top lightweight prospects in the world, leading up to his loss to Ferguson at UFC 216. He had risen to the top of the lightweight division with wins in nine of his previous ten bouts.
During a recent interview with The Schmo, Lee was blatantly honest when discussing if he would’ve done anything different during his UFC tenure.
“I’m not gonna say I would do it differently because I don’t regret anything. I might have done some stuff better though,” Lee said. “When I first made like, the big push, when you see me do the Michael Chiesa thing. I didn’t know that that was gonna happen, no regrets, no regrets. But even afterwards, the calling out Tony Ferguson, and getting that fight way too soon, way before I was supposed to get that fight.
Tony Ferguson (left) and Kevin Lee (right)Brandon Magnus/Zuffa LLC/Getty Images
“Sometimes I regret it, I’m not gonna lie to you. Sometimes I regret having that overriding confidence to do something you know you shouldn’t do. I knew I wasn’t ready for Tony, at the time I took that fight. I just was like, ‘Alright, we gonna do it. Gonna put my balls out there and we’re gonna see what it is.’ My balls was bigger than my brain.”
Lee has previously discussed just how brutal the buildup was to his fight with Ferguson. He’s mentioned that the weight-cutting process for the interim title bout made him delirious and physically depleted as he cut down to the 155-pound limit.
Lee is slated to make his Eagle FC debut against Diego Sanchez in March in a 165-pound matchup. It’ll be his prime opportunity to get back on track after recent struggles in the UFC.
Do you think Kevin Lee will ever eventually return to the UFC?
McGregor is currently expected to return this year following leg surgery, but that may not be until sometime in the summer. That leaves Chandler with a wide potential gap between opponents, with his most recent fight being the November classic against Justin Gaethje at UFC 268.
However, according to Tony Ferguson, Chandler has already agreed to fight against him. So when Chandler once again began lobbying on social media for a fight against McGregor in McGregor’s return, Ferguson decided to interject.
There’s My Bitch!!! @MikeChandlerMMA The Brass @danawhite@ufc Relayed Your Message Saying You Would Be Ready For Me April/June. Looks Like Your Trying To Delay That Ass-Whoopin’ I Owe Ya For Cutting In Line Kid- It’s Wrestling Season MF, Man Up- Champ pic.twitter.com/Er26dEMDx6
“There’s My Bitch!!! @MikeChandlerMMA The Brass @danawhite@ufc Relayed Your Message Saying You Would Be Ready For Me April/June. Looks Like Your Trying To Delay That Ass-Whoopin’ I Owe Ya For Cutting In Line Kid- It’s Wrestling Season MF, Man Up- Champ,” Ferguson wrote.
Chandler would then issue the following response soon after.
Oh Tony. There’s only a handful of guys in this game I truly respect…you’re one of them. Only because of your tenure, not your stature or your current presence in the division. I’ll beat you from bell to bell. Pray for a merciful ref. We shall see if this fight happens.
“Oh Tony. There’s only a handful of guys in this game I truly respect…you’re one of them. Only because of your tenure, not your stature or your current presence in the division. I’ll beat you from bell to bell. Pray for a merciful ref. We shall see if this fight happens.”
Why Ferguson vs. Chandler Next Makes Sense
Tony Ferguson, Michael Chandler
Last month, Ferguson claimed that he had received the El Cucuy signal, thus hinting that his next opponent had been determined. Now, it looks as though Ferguson may have been referring to Michael Chandler.
This bout would come with a backstory, as it was Ferguson who famously coined the phrase “Dana White Privilege” in reference to Chandler “skipping the line” to a title shot due to being in White’s good graces. Chandler would go on to lose that title fight against Charles Oliveira at UFC 262.
Both fighters are currently on skids, with Chandler dropping two straight and Ferguson losing three in a row. Between that fact and their placement in the lightweight rankings being only two spots apart, there is certainly some logic behind the potential fight.
MMA News will keep you updated on if there is any legitimacy to this fight pairing and, if so, when and where it will take place.
Would you be interested in seeing Michael Chandler vs. Tony Ferguson in 2022?
Dana White recently revealed that he has an opponent lined up for Tony Ferguson. According to the former interim lightweight champion’s latest social media activity, that opponent is Michael Chandler. On Saturday, Ferguson took to Twitter to suggest Chandler will be his next fight, while also accusing the former 3x Bellator champion of delaying the […]
Dana White recently revealed that he has an opponent lined up for Tony Ferguson. According to the former interim lightweight champion’s latest social media activity, that opponent is Michael Chandler.
On Saturday, Ferguson took to Twitter to suggest Chandler will be his next fight, while also accusing the former 3x Bellator champion of delaying the bout.
“There’s My Bitch!!! @MikeChandlerMMAThe Brass @danawhite @ufc Relayed Your Message Saying You Would Be Ready For Me April/June,” Ferguson wrote. “Looks Like Your Trying To Delay That Ass-Whoopin’ I Owe Ya For Cutting In Line Kid- It’s Wrestling Season MF, Man Up- Champ”
“Oh Tony. There’s only a handful of guys in this game I truly respect…you’re one of them,” Chandler replied. “Only because of your tenure, not your stature or your current presence in the division. I’ll beat you from bell to bell. Pray for a merciful ref. We shall see if this fight happens.”
Oh Tony. There’s only a handful of guys in this game I truly respect…you’re one of them. Only because of your tenure, not your stature or your current presence in the division. I’ll beat you from bell to bell. Pray for a merciful ref. We shall see if this fight happens.
Tony Ferguson & Michael Chandler Are Both On Losing Streaks
‘El Cucuy’ is currently riding a three-fight losing streak after suffering consecutive defeats to Justin Gaethje, Charles Oliveira, and Beneil Dariush. Ferguson looks way past his prime at this point and didn’t manage to win a round in any of those three fights. Nonetheless, Ferguson remains defiant and insists he will return to form in 2022.
After debuting in impressive fashion at UFC 257 in January 2021, Chandler was given a shot at the vacant lightweight title. Despite starting well against Oliveira at UFC 263, Chandler suffered a second-round TKO defeat. Last time out, Chandler went to war with Gaethje in the best fight of the year but ultimately fell to a decisive defeat. Chandler still appears to be at the top of his game and would surely be the favourite in a fight with Ferguson.
Do you want to see Tony Ferguson vs. Michael Chandler?
Tony Ferguson is looking to run things back with champion Charles Oliveira.
Fresh off his UFC 269 win over Dustin Poirier, Oliveira was bound to get some call-outs from the rest of the lightweight division. With a successful title defense under his…
Tony Ferguson is looking to run things back with champion Charles Oliveira.
Fresh off his UFC 269 win over Dustin Poirier, Oliveira was bound to get some call-outs from the rest of the lightweight division. With a successful title defense under his belt, Oliveira’s status as the champ is more solid than ever.
Oliveira has been called out by the likes of Justin Gaethjeand Conor McGregor, but one callout that may be surprising is that from Tony Ferguson. Ferguson had a reminder for the new champion after his UFC 269 submission victory.
Ferguson isn’t exactly the most logical next choice for Oliveira. Ferguson is currently on a three-fight losing streak. He has dropped down to number seven in the official UFC lightweight rankings. His last win was against Donald Cerrone back in June of 2019.
Oliveira defeated Ferguson at UFC 256 right before he went on to win the lightweight title. If Ferguson had won that bout, he could be the one holding the belt right now. Oliveira won by unanimous decision and that is the basis that Ferguson is running on when he claims Oliveira was unable to finish him.
Tony Ferguson Hints At Looming Return
Even though Ferguson probably won’t see Oliveira again anytime soon, it is a bit of a relief for Ferguson fans to see that he wants back in the Octagon. His last fight was in May, and he has been unclear of what his future plans were. He later sent out a tweet that could be an indicator of an incoming fight announcement.
This message from Ferguson is a bit cryptic like most of his tweets, but he does have a trophy and number one medal in there, maybe insinuating a title shot. If he can string together a couple of wins over top-ranked opponents, then perhaps he will find his way to the lightweight title and a fight with Oliveira.
Do you want to see Charles Oliveira and Tony Ferguson run it back?
Please
Hold….. laaaa daaaa dahhhhhh…. dahhh daaa dahhhhh. Duuuuu duuuuuuuuuuuuuuu doooooooooo 
”Please
Dana White recently revealed that he has an opponent lined up for Tony Ferguson. According to the former interim lightweight champion’s latest social media activity, that opponent is Michael Chandler. On Saturday, Ferguson took to Twitter to suggest Chandler will be his next fight, while also accusing the former 3x Bellator champion of delaying the […]