Tag: UFC 274

Tony Ferguson Is Eager To Find The Right New Coach

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…

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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.

UFC 274 loss wouldn't lead to Tony Ferguson being cut, says boss Dana White
Tony Ferguson

“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?

Continue Reading Tony Ferguson Is Eager To Find The Right New Coach at MMA News.

Godinez: Outside Factors May Have Led To Rose/Esparza II Performances

UFC strawweight contender Loopy Godinez thinks there could be more to the story as to why Rose Namajunas/Carla Esparza 2 was lackluster. Esparza defeated Namajunas via split decision in the UFC 274 co-headliner. It was an odd fight from start to finish with very little output from both women. Namajunas, in particular, has come under…

Continue Reading Godinez: Outside Factors May Have Led To Rose/Esparza II Performances at MMA News.

UFC strawweight contender Loopy Godinez thinks there could be more to the story as to why Rose Namajunas/Carla Esparza 2 was lackluster.

Esparza defeated Namajunas via split decision in the UFC 274 co-headliner. It was an odd fight from start to finish with very little output from both women.

Namajunas, in particular, has come under harsh criticism from many in the UFC community, including Daniel Cormier. But Godinez thinks most don’t understand what goes on behind the scenes leading up to a fight.

During an exclusive interview with MMA News, Godinez gave her thoughts on how Namajunas vs. Esparza 2 played out.

“I think we don’t know what either one of those fighters have been going through,” Godinez said. “You don’t know what’s happening in their lives. Because other than just fighters, we have our life too. So sometimes, stuff happens in life that will make us not perform in the cage. Maybe some people are stronger than others, some people can deal with things differently. But we don’t know what they’ve been through. Maybe that’s why they couldn’t pull the trigger. There are a million reasons. We don’t know.

“They only know, so now why do we need to be hard on them? They’re still human beings. They still have problems in life, so I have nothing to say, it just is what it is. It sucks it went that way, but you move forward.”

Namajunas has been honest and open regarding her mental health over the years, but it’s unclear if this had an impact on her rematch with Esparza. She fell to Esparza for the then-vacant strawweight title on The Ultimate Fighter 20 Finale.

Godinez could be on the verge of title contention by the end of 2022, and she believes that both Namajunas and Esparza should be treated as the current and former champions they are.

Do you agree with Loopy Godinez?

Continue Reading Godinez: Outside Factors May Have Led To Rose/Esparza II Performances at MMA News.

Tony Ferguson Accuses Daniel Cormier Of Drug Use: “Are You Saying I Do Cocaine?”

Tony FergusonFormer UFC interim lightweight champion Tony Ferguson bashed the former two-division titleholder, Daniel Cormier, after UFC 274. This past weekend, Charles Oliveira became the first champion in the UFC to lose his belt on the weighing scales. Coming in at 155.5 lbs, ‘do Bronx’ was half a pound over the championship limit. Oliveira was stripped […]

Tony Ferguson

Former UFC interim lightweight champion Tony Ferguson bashed the former two-division titleholder, Daniel Cormier, after UFC 274.

This past weekend, Charles Oliveira became the first champion in the UFC to lose his belt on the weighing scales. Coming in at 155.5 lbs, ‘do Bronx’ was half a pound over the championship limit. Oliveira was stripped of his gold the moment he set foot inside the octagon against Justin Gaethje.

After news of the lightweight title going vacant was announced, fellow fighters and fans took to social media to share their thoughts on the missed weight.

Along the many different takes were old videos of fighters struggling on the scales that resurfaced. A video of Daniel Cormier appearing to hold onto a towel in an attempt to make weight went viral again. Another video of Cormier’s former teammate Khabib Nurmagomedov struggling on the scales was also doing rounds.

Tony Ferguson took the opportunity to weigh in on Oliveira’s unfortunate weight miss. ‘El Cucuy‘ shared Cormier’s video from UFC 210 and stated that ‘DC’ should’ve been stripped of his belt.

He didn’t have to wait long to get a reply from the man himself as Cormier pleaded with Ferguson to retreat.

Tony Ferguson alleges Cocaine use

Following Cormier’s backhanded response, Ferguson decided to step things up a notch by going in on the newly inducted Hall of Famer. Taking to Twitter to turn the heat up on Cormier, Ferguson stated.

“Lay Off The Yay Buddy. Not A Good Look You Make Yourself Look Sad. I’m already back to work I don’t quit like you Enjoy your retirement with Fathead.”

The “Fathead” Tony is referring to is Cormier’s friend and AKA teammate Khabib. He was scheduled to fight the Dagestani fighter on four different occasions but the fight never materialized due to both pulling out twice each. Khabib has also had issues with making weight and was reported to have missed the limit after eating tiramisu.

Cormier seemed confused at the allegations and advised Ferguson to shift his aim to Michael Chandler, who became the first man to knock him out at UFC 274.

“Ok Tony now you’re reaching. Are you saying I do cocaine? I’m so confused right now. I don’t know why you’re after me. Get Michael Chandler he’s the one kicked your face not me.”

Do you want to see Tony Ferguson return to action sooner than later?

Esparza Accuses UFC 274 Commentary Team Of Bias During Title Fight

Newly crowned UFC Women’s Strawweight Champion Carla Esparza has a bone to pick with the UFC 274 commentary team. Last Saturday night, Esparza joined the two-time champions’ club with a split decision victory over the same woman whom she defeated to hold the inaugural gold in 2014, Namajunas. While her feat, which saw her break…

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Newly crowned UFC Women’s Strawweight Champion Carla Esparza has a bone to pick with the UFC 274 commentary team.

Last Saturday night, Esparza joined the two-time champions’ club with a split decision victory over the same woman whom she defeated to hold the inaugural gold in 2014, Namajunas.

While her feat, which saw her break the record for the longest period between title wins, was impressive, the way in which she dethroned “Thug Rose” certainly left a lot to be desired, with many branding the UFC 274 co-main event as the worst championship contest in UFC history.

Given the way that the fight unfolded and the remarkable lack of action, it’s unsurprising that the pair of top strawweights received criticism from the broadcast team throughout the 25-minute fight.

However, while Daniel Cormier admitted that he expected the pair to be “pissed off” at how the fight was called, the reason for Esparza’s disdain will likely come as a surprise to the former champ-champ.

During an appearance on The MMA Hour, the new 115-pound queen suggested that Cormier, Jon Anik, and Joe Rogan’s work at the desk was directed in favor of Namajunas, especially in the early rounds.

“To be honest, I thought that the commentary, especially early on in the fight, was — it was a combination of a little bit of bias on the side for Rose, but I also felt like they were being kinda real on a lot of notes, just about the fight in general, kinda talking crap on it,” said Esparza. “It sucks to hear, but I kinda knew that was what people were thinking during the fight.

“But I definitely feel like commentators can tend to be one-sided sometimes, and I felt like that was the case, especially earlier in the fight,” concluded Esparza.

While calls of bias are certainly nothing new for the UFC commentary team, with even UFC Featherweight Champion Alexander Volkanovski accusing them of such last year, it’s perhaps surprising that Esparza feels it was evident during a fight where not much good was said about either competitor.

Do you agree with Carla Esparza? Were the UFC 274 commentators showing bias towards Rose Namajunas?

Continue Reading Esparza Accuses UFC 274 Commentary Team Of Bias During Title Fight at MMA News.

Tony Ferguson Shares Deep Reflections After UFC 274 KO Loss

UFC lightweight Tony Ferguson posted a message of optimism despite suffering his fourth-straight loss to Michael Chandler at UFC 274. Ferguson got off to a good start against Chandler in their lightweight bout on the UFC 274 main card. He knocked down Chandler early in the fight and seemed comfortable utilizing his range on the…

Continue Reading Tony Ferguson Shares Deep Reflections After UFC 274 KO Loss at MMA News.

UFC lightweight Tony Ferguson posted a message of optimism despite suffering his fourth-straight loss to Michael Chandler at UFC 274.

Ferguson got off to a good start against Chandler in their lightweight bout on the UFC 274 main card. He knocked down Chandler early in the fight and seemed comfortable utilizing his range on the feet.

But Chandler would end the fight almost as quickly as it started with a vicious head kick knockout of Ferguson.

Ferguson was knocked out cold by the leg kick in Round 2, with many concerned about his wellbeing. After regaining consciousness, he was able to leave the Octagon and receive medical treatment at a nearby hospital.

Despite suffering from the jaws of defeat for a fourth-straight time, Ferguson seems in good spirits and is looking ahead to what’s next.

In a recent Instagram post, Ferguson sent an in-depth message to his fans following his fourth-straight loss.

“NewEnergy” ThanksCoach for takin’ the time to keep me Active Crew I Took a big kick to the dome this past Saturday inside that Octagon… It put me out for a longtime It was a scary feeling not remembering anything from beginning of second round all the way until I walked up to the ambulance I thank God EVERYDAY I made the trip back to reality,” Ferguson said. “All jokes aside, I didn’t mean to scare you all, should have done things different like keep my “Hands Up & Chin Down.” My fault I lost, props to Chandler for the highlight real finish.  I have many things to work on, not just competing. One Battle At A Time. I’m not perfect by any means, but I’ll continue to strive for it in-N-out of the practice room ( Perfection: an unobtainable goal).

“Someone wise once told me “Perfect practice makes perfect.” There’s always more to learn & being coachable is big. I’m Beyond greatful my movements are ok, my bones are intact & except for a slight headache in the mornings I’m glad to be back & doing what I Love (light duty) I want to be better than yesterday for sure,.. not for anyone else but for me. Making good adjustments daily, and will continue to do so- Champ -XTA2- Hometeam  # Thanks For Being Great, You’re The Best Crew A Type Of Guy Like Me Could Ask For *respect* Gonna watch my fight now for the first time B# Cleared and ready to learn again.”

Ferguson’s claims that he suffered memory loss as a result of the knockout are particularly concerning. But, he seems to be on the right path towards full recovery as he looks ahead to returning to the Octagon later this year.

Ferguson’s last win came against Donald Cerrone at UFC 238 via doctor’s stoppage. Before that, he earned the interim lightweight title over Kevin Lee and also defeated Anthony Pettis in his next appearance.

UFC President Dana White said leading up to the UFC 274 event that the Ferguson/Chandler loser’s job isn’t in jeopardy. Now, Ferguson will look forward to his return and a chance to snap his recent losing skid.

What was your reaction to Michael Chandler’s knockout of Tony Ferguson?

Continue Reading Tony Ferguson Shares Deep Reflections After UFC 274 KO Loss at MMA News.

Michael Chandler Fractures Shin in Devastating Knockout of Tony Ferguson at UFC 274

Michael ChandlerMichael Chandler believes he fractured his shinbone moments before delivering a jaw-dropping knockout against Tony Ferguson at UFC 274.  Chandler (23-7-0) stepped into the Octagon at the Footprint Center in Phoenix, AZ with the goal of getting back into the win column after a two-fight skid. In the process, Chandler provided the live audience and […]

Michael Chandler

Michael Chandler believes he fractured his shinbone moments before delivering a jaw-dropping knockout against Tony Ferguson at UFC 274. 

Chandler (23-7-0) stepped into the Octagon at the Footprint Center in Phoenix, AZ with the goal of getting back into the win column after a two-fight skid. In the process, Chandler provided the live audience and fans at home with a stunning first-round front-kick KO of ‘El Cucuy’. 

While discussing the bout on The MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani, Chandler confirmed that his shinbone was likely fractured from one of the two kicks thrown that evening.

“God did not create our bones to crack up against each other like we do,” said Chandler. “I threw two kicks in that fight – one on Tony’s inside right leg as he was a southpaw. He switched stances and I hit him with a really hard low kick as well.”

“So [my] shinbone is jacked up, could have a fracture in there. My ankle has had some problems in the past. Obviously, the dislocated finger… it was definitely a hundred percent dislocated after having Dr. Davidson look at it,” Chandler said.

Michael Chandler’s Knockout Created a Scary Situation For Tony Ferguson Fans

Early in the fight, Ferguson appeared to have Chandler on the ropes as he landed clean causing Chandler’s right eye to swell significantly. Luckily for ‘Iron’ Mike, it only took 17 seconds of the second round for Chandler to send Ferguson crashing to the mat with a kick to the chin, reminiscent of Anderson Silva’s beloved front-kick to the face of Vitor Belfort at UFC 126. 

‘El Cucuy’ remained unconscious for multiple minutes causing concern among fans. Thankfully Ferguson regained consciousness and was released from a local hospital following a CT scan that evening.

After his win, Michael Chandler had words with Nate Diaz on Twitter with the both seemingly agreeing to a bout slated for UFC 277 on July 30. The UFC has not commented on the potential bout as of yet.

Would you like to see Michael Chandler vs. Nate Diaz?