Daniel Cormier applauds Tony Ferguson for going 15 minutes at UFC 296 but says it’s time for ‘El Cucuy’ to retire

By Harry Kettle - December 21, 2023

UFC commentator Daniel Cormier believes that it may be time for Tony Ferguson to retire after UFC 296.

Tony Ferguson, UFC, UFC 296, Statement

Last weekend, Tony Ferguson returned to the Octagon to face Paddy Pimblett. Unfortunately for the veteran it didn’t go his way, as he feel to a disappointing unanimous decision defeat.

RELATED: Daniel Cormier expresses disappointment in Paddy Pimblett’s win over Tony Ferguson: “It just looked the same”

After suffering his seventh straight loss, some thought Ferguson could contemplate retiring from mixed martial arts. Alas, it doesn’t appear as if that’s the case, with ‘El Cucuy’ being determined to go on.

As you can imagine, a lot of fans and pundits aren’t convinced by that, including Daniel Cormier.

Cormier’s Ferguson view

“Tony Ferguson would seem to be done,” Cormier said on his ESPN show “DC & RC.” “Call it what it is.”

“I believe that Tony Ferguson should retire,” Cormier said. “I really try to limit trying to show a man the door because nobody knows when someone’s done until they know that they’re done. … Only Tony knows when it’s time, but it seems as though he’s the only one left that isn’t sure. Everybody else feels pretty certain that that time has come for Tony Ferguson.”

“Many didn’t even expect Tony Ferguson to go 15 minutes, so hat’s off to Tony for doing that,” Cormier said on his YouTube channel. “But David Goggins, who cornered him (at UFC 296), came up to us at the end of the fight and said, ‘Tony may retire after this.’ And I said, ‘Well, is he?’

“He goes, ‘I don’t know.’ But we gave our opinions and said, ‘Maybe it is time for Tony to retire.’ While his heart and his mind are still telling him to go, I don’t necessarily know if his timing is still where it needs to be because for a short period of time in those fights, you see the old Tony Ferguson. But as time goes on, he isn’t the same guy.”

Quotes via MMA Junkie

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Topics:

Daniel Cormier Tony Ferguson UFC