Tony Ferguson’s Message to LW Divisional Elite: ‘I’m Coming for That Top Spot’

When a fighter comes into their own, special things start to happen, and that is what 2014 has been about for Tony Ferguson. 
Since entering the UFC by winning season 13 of The Ultimate Fighter, “El Cucuy” has been on a constant push to progress h…

When a fighter comes into their own, special things start to happen, and that is what 2014 has been about for Tony Ferguson. 

Since entering the UFC by winning season 13 of The Ultimate Fighter, “El Cucuy” has been on a constant push to progress his skills as a mixed martial artist and scrap his way to elite-level status. Ferguson has been out to prove he’s the real deal inside the Octagon and the 30-year-old lightweight has been putting up high-caliber performances to back up that notion.

The scrappy California native has won six of his seven showings since entering the talent-stacked ranks of the UFC’s 155-pound fold back in 2011 and he shows zero signs of slowing down. Ferguson has notched four consecutive victories in the past two years, with his most recent win coming at the expense of heavy-handed slugger Abel Trujillo at UFC 181 last Saturday.

While “Killa” found a home for his power in the early going and put Ferguson on the mat, the surging prospect proved resilient and rebounded strong to score the second-round finish. By scoring the comeback victory over Trujillo, he showed there’s a lot of heart to go along with this ever-improving skill set, and Ferguson believes that’s going to cause problems for anyone he faces inside the Octagon.

“It was a good fight and one that I expected,” Ferguson told Bleacher Report. “I weathered the storm, brought my technique and proved myself. I just don’t want to be questioned anymore about where I belong. I belong in the top 15 or in the top 10. I belong in the spot where I’m going to be at. Nothing has been given to me and I’ve definitely earned this. This is all the result of the time spent in the gym and even outside of the gym from eating correctly and proper recovery. Planning my next practice session and listening to my body and my coaches.

“It goes a long way and I’m really prepared and amped up for 2015. I’m not going to take a big long break. I’m not injured. I’m mentally and physically sound. I’m just ready to see who they put in front of me.

While his win over Trujillo was an impressive performance from the former TUF winner, it’s not one he’s willing to rest on. And even though the victory failed to put him into a top-15 ranking in the latest UFC poll, it is just another detail that is of little concern to him at the present time. Ferguson is taking aim at the biggest names in the division and is willing to travel any road he has to in order to get to the lightweight crown.

If the rest of his division is sleeping on him, then all the better in Ferguson’s mind, but it’s something they will have to figure out soon enough, because they won’t have a choice when he’s standing across the Octagon from them. And that is what he believes is going to be the biggest challenge for all of his future opponents.

“People just don’t know,” Ferguson said. “They don’t know what to think about me. I’m not the type to worry about who I’m going to fight, but these guys are like, ‘Man, how are we going to take this guy out?’ I’ve taken out a lot of these guys from these top gyms and I like that. 

“I mess up these guys’ thought processes. That’s what I do. When these guys are watching film on me I hope put fear in them when they watch it. They are going to go all the way back to when I fought Justin Edwards and see where I knocked him out from off my back. Other fights I’ve weathered the storm then came back to beat the guy up until the ref stopped the fight. It just keeps going on and on. When I keep a level head and go in there with a game plan, regardless if the plan works, I know how to improvise. I know how to come out with that victory and I’ve always been that way.

“This is the MMA game and it’s just like chess,” he added. “It starts right before you get in there, and if you can keep a level head and rely on your technique once the fight starts, that’s how I win. I can get pissed off during a fight—and trust me, I’ll still win—but I choose to keep a level head and that’s when you are going to see great things. The more I’m in there, the easier it gets for me to relax. As soon as 2015 hits, I’d like to sign on the dotted line and get back in there right away.”

With Ferguson running the proverbial table in 2014 and taking out notable competition the likes of Danny Castillo and Abel Trujillo along the way, there will certainly be bigger matchups waiting for him in the New Year. The lightweight division is constantly referred to as a “shark tank” for the amount of high-caliber talent that dwells in the 155-pound waters, and Ferguson is making zero bones about his intention to gun for the biggest names out there.

While he’s on the cusp of breaking through into the coveted top-10 rankings of the lightweight fold, Ferguson is already letting the fighters atop the divisional hierarchy know he’s coming after them. It may take him a few fights to get to current champion Anthony Pettis, but that’s a road he’s happy to travel. And if that particular path happens to include undefeated Russian sensation Khabib Nurmagomedov, then that’s work he’ll also enjoy getting into.

When it all boils down, Ferguson is simply determined to make sure the fighters currently hovering in the lightweight division’s upper tier know that he’s on his way up, and he’s bringing a fight to each and every one of their front doors.

“I called it at the press conference,” Ferguson said regarding the message he sent to Pettis and company at the post-fight press conference for UFC 181. “I told him to keep that belt warm for me. He knows who he is. It’s the same thing for Khabib [Nurmagomedov]. These guys know I’m coming for them. We are on different pathways right now and everyone is searching for their own thing, but I’m here. Don’t sleep on me because I’m coming for that top spot.”

 

Duane Finley is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. All quotes are obtained firsthand unless noted otherwise.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

UFC 181 Salaries & Medical Suspensions: Robbie Lawler Earns Top Payday, Anthony Pettis Faces Another (Possibly) Lengthy Suspension


(Photo via Getty.)

The year of The Rhino  “Ruthless” continues, as Robbie Lawler walked away from UFC 181 last weekend with not only the belt, but the biggest payday of all 22 competing fighters. Lawler earned just over 200K ($220,000) for his efforts, surpassing Anthony Pettis and Gilbert Melendez ($200,00 each) on the night’s list of top earners.

On the injury side of things, it looks like several fighters who competed at UFC 181 could be facing lengthy layoffs, chief among them being Pettis (Ed note: WHY GOD, WHYY?!!). So join us after the jump to check out the full list of salaries and medical suspensions.

Robbie Lawler: $220,000 (includes $110,000 win bonus)
def. Johny Hendricks: $150,000

Anthony Pettis: $200,000 (includes $100,000 win bonus)
def. Gilbert Melendez: $200,000

Travis Browne: $100,000 (includes $50,000 win bonus)
def. Brendan Schaub: $32,000


(Photo via Getty.)

The year of The Rhino  ”Ruthless” continues, as Robbie Lawler walked away from UFC 181 last weekend with not only the belt, but the biggest payday of all 22 competing fighters. Lawler earned just over 200K ($220,000) for his efforts, surpassing Anthony Pettis and Gilbert Melendez ($200,00 each) on the night’s list of top earners.

On the injury side of things, it looks like several fighters who competed at UFC 181 could be facing lengthy layoffs, chief among them being Pettis (Ed note: WHY GOD, WHYY?!!). So join us after the jump to check out the full list of salaries and medical suspensions.

Robbie Lawler: $220,000 (includes $110,000 win bonus)
def. Johny Hendricks: $150,000

Anthony Pettis: $200,000 (includes $100,000 win bonus)
def. Gilbert Melendez: $200,000

Travis Browne: $100,000 (includes $50,000 win bonus)
def. Brendan Schaub: $32,000

Todd Duffee: $20,000 (includes $10,000 win bonus)
def. Anthony Hamilton: $10,000

Tony Ferguson: $48,000 (includes $24,000 win bonus)
def. Abel Trujillo: $14,000

Urijah Faber: $140,000 (includes $70,000 win bonus)
def. Francisco Rivera: $20,000

Josh Samman: $16,000 (includes $8,000 win bonus)
def. Eddie Gordon: $15,000

Corey Anderson: $30,000 (includes $15,000 win bonus)
def. Justin Jones: $8,000

Raquel Pennington: $20,000 (includes $10,000 win bonus)
def. Ashlee Evans-Smith: $8,000

Sergio Pettis: $30,000 (includes $15,000 win bonus)
def. Matt Hobar: $10,000

Clay Collard: $16,000 (includes $8,000 win bonus)
def. Alex White: $10,000

I’m going to skip the over/underpaid analysis for this card, because I think we all can all reach our own conclusions on fighter pay by this point. Suffice it to say, anyone making less than 20K to show while fighting in an organization that rents out the Smith Center to make a non-announcement is getting screwed over big time. Just one man’s humble opinion.

Instead, I’d like to talk a little more about Joe Rogan’s brutally honest critique of Brendan Schaub’s career and chances of ever becoming a champion earlier today. While I was watching Rogan essentially tell Schaub to retire, I couldn’t help but play the devil’s advocate when thinking of Robbie Lawler.

Less than 3 years ago, “Ruthless” had dropped back-to-back fights to Ronaldo Souza and Tim Kennedy, and three of his past four overall. In both those performances, you could literally see the moment in which Lawler seemed to break, to give up. It seemed as if his best days were behind him, and it was safe to say that no one had him on their list of future UFC champions at that point. The same can be said for Schaub right now.

Am I saying that Schaub could be a future heavyweight champ? Not exactly, I’m just saying that Rogan was perhaps a little dismissive of his friend’s chances, albeit for the right reasons. While “Ruthless” has years of fight experience over Schaub that no doubt played a role in his improbable career revival, let’s not act like there aren’t crazier things that have happened in MMA than the idea of Brendan Schaub: Heavyweight Champion. It’s an argument of faith vs. fact, sure, but guys, Matt Serra beat Georges St. Pierre once. No seriously, it happened.

Food for thought, I guess.

Anyways, on to those medical suspensions…

Anthony Pettis: Requires x-ray of left hand; if positive, requires doctor’s clearance or no contest until June 6

Abel Trujillo: Requires doctor’s clearance on fractured nose or no contest until Jun. 6; minimum suspension until Jan. 6, no contest until Dec. 2

Francisco Rivera: Requires ophthalmologist’s clearance on left eye abrasion or no contest until June 6

Eddie Gordon: Requires post-concussive clearance from neurologist or sports medicine doctor prior to starting contact training; minimum suspension no contest until March 7, no contact until Feb. 5

Brendan Schaub: Suspended until Feb. 5, no contact until Jan. 21 due to upper lip laceration

Anthony Hamilton: Suspended until Jan. 21, no contact until Jan. 6 due to right forehead laceration

Tony Ferguson: Suspended until Jan. 21, no contact until Jan. 6 due to right forehead laceration

Raquel Pennington: Suspended until Jan. 21, no contact until Jan. 6 due to forehead laceration

Johny Hendricks: Suspended until Jan. 6, no contact until Dec. 28 due to tough fight

Todd Duffee: Suspended until Jan. 6, no contact until Dec. 28 due to forehead laceration

Matt Hobar: Suspended until Jan. 6, no contact until Dec. 28 due to left eye hematoma

Sergio Pettis: Suspended until Jan. 6, no contact until Dec. 28

Clay Collard: Requires orthopedic clearance on left forearm or no contest until June 6; minimum suspension no contest until Jan. 6, no contact until Dec. 28

Alex White: Suspended until Jan. 6, no contact until Dec. 28 due to left upper eyebrow laceration

Anthony Pettis…might be out until June…

Ok, calm down. Everyone just CALM DOWN, alright! The results for Anthony’s hand are still pending, and considering he said he felt fine at the post-fight press conference, let’s all just assume that it will be less than 15 months before we see him again. You hear me?! KEEP IT TOGETHER!!

J. Jones

CM Punk Will Bring More Professional Wrestling Fans to UFC

CM Punk has been in the media more since his departure from WWE than he ever was while still with the company, and his newest venture is breaking the Internet more than Kim Kardashian’s greased-up backside.
At UFC 181, CM Punk announced that he had sig…

CM Punk has been in the media more since his departure from WWE than he ever was while still with the company, and his newest venture is breaking the Internet more than Kim Kardashian’s greased-up backside.

At UFC 181, CM Punk announced that he had signed a multifight deal with the top MMA promotion in the world that would see him enter the Octagon with a 0-0 record.

Some may criticize Dana White for signing a fighter with virtually no experience, but White is a businessman. He knows CM Punk will draw eyes to the product, and he would be stupid to pass up the opportunity to work with someone who is so passionate about everything he does.

Punk is a polarizing individual. You either love him or you hate him, and that is exactly why he is going to bring many WWE fans with him to UFC.

The constant CM Punk chants during his wife’s matches show that the crowd still misses him, and those people will likely be interested in his MMA career.

The fans who think CM Punk is a cocky jerk who whines too much will want to see him fail, so they will probably watch his fights, too. It’s a win-win for White.

Wrestling and MMA have always shared a cross section of fans, but they both also have their devoted followers who only like one or the other.

Getting those wrestling fans who do not watch UFC to convert has always been one of White’s goals, and bringing in guys like Brock Lesnar and CM Punk is a great way to do that.

Punk is not the first person to transition from one sport to the other. Ken Shamrock and Dan Severn famously made the switch to pro wrestling after dominating the early years of UFC, and plenty of wrestlers like Bobby Lashley (who is currently fighting for Bellator) and Alberto Del Rio have competed in MMA.

Athletes of either sport will automatically have some of the skills needed to succeed in the other, but nobody can just walk out of the ring and into an Octagon. It takes a lot of training and determination to make the switch.

It also takes exposure. Lashley has a professional record of 12-2, but he isn’t signed to a UFC deal yet because he is not going to generate the kind of buzz Punk can.

Punk’s move to MMA may have surprised a lot of people, but anyone who follows him on Twitter knows he has been a fan of the sport for a long time and has spent time training with the famed Rener Gracie.

You can say or think what you want about CM Punk, but one thing you have to admit is that the guy usually accomplishes what he sets his mind to.

Nobody thought this skinny kid with tattoos all over his body would ever make it to a WWE ring, but he busted his butt in Ring of Honor and got himself noticed.

Once he got there, nobody thought he would ever make it past developmental, but Paul Heyman saw something in him and brought him into the new ECW.

Punk was on the main roster, but there was still people who doubted that he could ever be a main event star, let alone the top champion in the company for over a year.

Punk has been proving people wrong every step of the way. Perhaps he works even harder when there is someone doubting him, which is why he probably loves the fact that some people think he won’t accomplish anything in MMA.

However, there are more people who wish for Punk to succeed, and many of them might not have thought about purchasing a UFC PPV before Punk signed with them.

He might not be dropping pipe bombs in MMA, but he will definitely be entertaining because he’s not afraid to say what he’s thinking. His pre-fight press conferences will not be promos, but they will be fun to watch.

One thing is for sure: He won’t be short on challengers. He already has a Power Ranger trying to fight him, and there are several names in UFC who would love to hand Punk a loss in his first fight. If anything, he will be a hot commodity.

His recent appearance on Colt Cabana’s Art of Wrestling podcast definitely shows that he is not going to hold back his opinions, so when he finally gets his first fight, you can expect some trash talk from both sides.

UFC is supposed to be about the best fighters in the world competing to see who is the top dog, but it’s also an entertainment company that has to worry about ratings and sponsors.

Bringing in CM Punk is going to bring a whole new set of fans to the sport, and some of them might even like it enough to watch the fights Punk isn’t involved in.

WWE even posted a message on its website wishing him luck, although the wording of the message could indicate some sarcasm behind those wishes. They phrased it the same way they do when someone is released from their contract: “WWE wishes Phil Brooks (aka CM Punk) the best of luck in his newest endeavor.”

Punk may never return to WWE. We have to accept that, but at least his fans and detractors have some place to go watch him try to climb a new mountain (or in the case of the haters, take a fatal tumble down the cliff).

What do you think? Will CM Punk thrive in the UFC or will he fall flat on his face? Will you be watching his fights?

 

Thanks for reading, and follow me on Twitter @BR_Doctor.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

CagePotato Rants About UFC 181?s Hendricks vs. Lawler Robbery on TYT Sports [VIDEO]

In light of all the crazy crap that went down at UFC 181 this weekend, our friends at TYT Sports invited CagePotato founding editor Ben Goldstein back on their show to break down all the important storylines. (Johny Hendricks was robbed! CM Punk OMFG! Anthony Pettis P4P greatest?? Etc.) Strong takes all over the place.

First up, here’s Ben talking with TYT Sports hosts Francis Maxwell and Lindsay McCormick about the Johny Hendricks vs. Robbie Lawler rematch, which was awesome despite Glenn Trowbridge ruining it with his 49-46 scorecard. What were the judges looking at, exactly? And is an immediate rubber match in order, or should the UFC give that Rory MacDonald kid a shot?

Subscribe to TYT Sports on YouTube and twitter; more of our UFC 181 analysis videos will be released through the evening. Thanks for watching.

In light of all the crazy crap that went down at UFC 181 this weekend, our friends at TYT Sports invited CagePotato founding editor Ben Goldstein back on their show to break down all the important storylines. (Johny Hendricks was robbed! CM Punk OMFG! Anthony Pettis P4P greatest?? Etc.) Strong takes all over the place.

First up, here’s Ben talking with TYT Sports hosts Francis Maxwell and Lindsay McCormick about the Johny Hendricks vs. Robbie Lawler rematch, which was awesome despite Glenn Trowbridge ruining it with his 49-46 scorecard. What were the judges looking at, exactly? And is an immediate rubber match in order, or should the UFC give that Rory MacDonald kid a shot?

Subscribe to TYT Sports on YouTube and twitter; more of our UFC 181 analysis videos will be released through the evening. Thanks for watching.

UFC 181 Video Highlights: Josh Samman’s Devastating KO of Eddie Gordon, Urijah Faber’s Eye-Poke Submission of Francisco Rivera…Oh, And the Title Fights Too

FOX Sports released some highlight videos from Saturday’s UFC 181: Hendricks vs. Lawler 2 event, and as usual, the clips from the main card fights are woefully incomplete, showing everything but the actual finishes. So eff ’em — we’ve buried those after the jump. Luckily, the highlight clips from the FOX Sports 1 prelim fights actually showed the money shots.

The video above shows Josh Samman‘s devastating second-round head-kick knockout of TUF 19 winner Eddie Gordon. It was an incredibly cathartic moment for Samman — coming after an extended injury layoff and the car accident death of his girlfriend — and also earned him a $50,000 Performance of the Night check.

Below, Urijah Faber picks up yet another submission victory in a non-title fight, though this one came with some controversy. In the slow-motion replay at the 0:30 mark, you can see Faber basically fish-hook Francisco Rivera’s eye-socket. (Two fouls in one!) Rivera goes down in agony, and Faber bulldog chokes him. But referee Mario Yamasaki didn’t see the foul, and it goes down as a legitimate win for Faber. Rivera plans to appeal the result.

After the jump: Highlights from four UFC 181 main card fights. They left out Todd Duffee‘s KO of Anthony Hamilton because the fight was so short they’d pretty much have to show the finish, and God knows we can’t have that.

FOX Sports released some highlight videos from Saturday’s UFC 181: Hendricks vs. Lawler 2 event, and as usual, the clips from the main card fights are woefully incomplete, showing everything but the actual finishes. So eff ‘em — we’ve buried those after the jump. Luckily, the highlight clips from the FOX Sports 1 prelim fights actually showed the money shots.

The video above shows Josh Samman‘s devastating second-round head-kick knockout of TUF 19 winner Eddie Gordon. It was an incredibly cathartic moment for Samman — coming after an extended injury layoff and the car accident death of his girlfriend — and also earned him a $50,000 Performance of the Night check.

Below, Urijah Faber picks up yet another submission victory in a non-title fight, though this one came with some controversy. In the slow-motion replay at the 0:30 mark, you can see Faber basically fish-hook Francisco Rivera’s eye-socket. (Two fouls in one!) Rivera goes down in agony, and Faber bulldog chokes him. But referee Mario Yamasaki didn’t see the foul, and it goes down as a legitimate win for Faber. Rivera plans to appeal the result.

After the jump: Highlights from four UFC 181 main card fights. They left out Todd Duffee‘s KO of Anthony Hamilton because the fight was so short they’d pretty much have to show the finish, and God knows we can’t have that.


(Robbie Lawler vs. Johny Hendricks video highlights)


(Anthony Pettis vs. Gilbert Melendez video highlights)


(Travis Browne vs. Brendan Schaub video highlights)


(Tony Ferguson vs. Abel Trujillo video highlights)

UFC 181 Results: Ranking the Biggest Winners from Saturday Night

UFC 181 will be looked back upon for a number of high-profile things.
Chief among them, though, is the potential for Saturday’s event to act as a launching pad for any number of talents who secured memorable wins. 
The card was downright stacked b…

UFC 181 will be looked back upon for a number of high-profile things.

Chief among them, though, is the potential for Saturday’s event to act as a launching pad for any number of talents who secured memorable wins. 

The card was downright stacked but somehow managed to exceed expectations. Various fighters made returns from injury or other issues and scored emphatic victories. Younger fighters seized the moment with highlight wins.

Much of how this card is viewed down the road will depend on where the most notable winners go from here. For now, though, there are a trio of names who succeeded in ways fans will not soon forget.

 

UCF 181 Results

 

Breaking Down UFC 181 Biggest Winners

3. Josh Samman

Plenty of fighters spent Saturday night working wonders for themselves down the line with great comeback stories. A name like Todd Duffee (and his 33-second knockout) comes to mind.

Most pale in comparison to what Josh Samman did.

Stuck in one of the preliminary bouts, the 26-year-old with just two losses on his record won his second UFC fight with a brutal shin to Eddie Gordon’s head. The Knockout of the Year candidate drew the obvious reactions, as captured by Bleacher Report’s Jeremy Botter:

Sometimes, it simply boils down to getting noticed.

Saturday was Samman‘s first foray into the Octagon since April of 2013 for various out-of-ring reasons, so an emphatic victory was a necessity. With that in hand, Samman has surely turned a good number of heads in and outside of the promotion.

Expect Samman to ascend the ladder in an apt manner so long as he can keep his health.

 

2. Anthony Pettis

Rust was a very real concern Saturday for Anthony Pettis.

After all, the 27-year-old Milwaukee native had not been in a fight since August of 2013. It showed through the first six minutes and change against Gilbert Melendez, too.

Pettis allowed Melendez to hang around and was perhaps caught a tad off guard while trading blows with his opponent. It did not last long, though, as Pettis locked in a submission that forced a stoppage in the second round.

Fans around the globe know what Pettis is capable of as an offensive-minded fighter. But an extended period on the shelf while recovering from a knee injury has seen the champ lose some of his luster as of late.

Remember, though, that this is the guy Dana White proclaims can be the best in the world if his body allows. White said as much on The Jim Rome Show on CBS Sports Radio recently, per Mike Bohn of MMAjunkie:

Honestly, I think Pettis is the pound-for-pound best fighter in the world, if the kid can stay healthy. This kid is able to do things to people that other people can’t do. The famous run-off-the-cage kick, he bounces off the cage and hits people with knees. The thing is with him, he’s so powerful with his kicks, that once he kicks you he hurts you immediately. Human beings can’t take the kicks to the body that this kid throws.

Call Saturday a bit of validation for White and Pettis.

Now that Pettis has shown well and is healthy, he is well on his way to being one of the promotion’s most important faces over the course of the 2015 calendar year—and perhaps beyond.

 

1. Robbie Lawler

Robbie Lawler has UFC gold around his waist for the first time in his career thanks to one thing: adaptation.

Johny Hendricks beat down Lawler in their first encounter at UFC 171 in March to claim the UFC welterweight title. Ruthless did well Saturday night to avoid serious wrestling issues on the mat and instead land powerful combination blows while upright to sway the opinion of judges in the eventual split decision.

At 32 years of age, Lawler has come full circle as perhaps the most notable career turnaround in the sport’s history. He seems well aware of it, too, as illustrated by UFC:

A decade ago, Lawler was one of the most promising prospects the sport has seen; five years ago, he was one of the biggest busts. He is now back again as one of the most dangerous participants.

Keep in mind that the split decision will prove to be a controversial sticking point when folks look back on the outcome. It will be a strong rally point for a rubber match between the two veterans.

That seems likely given the circumstances. Right now, though, Lawler‘s crowning achievement is fresh on the mind and more than worthy of appreciation.

 

Note: Stats and info courtesy of UFC.com unless otherwise specified.

 

Follow Chris_Roling on Twitter

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com