EXCLUSIVE | Eddie Bravo on pupil Tony Ferguson fighting Conor McGregor: It’s 99%

Now that Tony Ferguson is the UFC interim lightweight champion, pretty much everybody wants to see him take on undisputed lightweight champion Conor McGregor. That, of course, includes long-time Tony Ferguson trainer Eddie Bravo.

Speaking on the latest episode of BJ Penn Radio, 10th Planet jiu jitsu founder Eddie Bravo weighed in on a fight between Ferguson and McGregor. Apparently, he think it’s a near certainty that this massive lightweight title unification fight happens soon.

“It’s 100% I think, based on what Dana [White] is saying,” Bravo said on the show. “People were saying ‘well, Conor’s going to fight Nate Diaz, they’re talking about it’, but the fact is that Dana said Nate was never even brought up, or there was no meetings about that, you know, it’s complete ‘internet bullshit.’ He said that Conor has to fight Tony or vacate, he has to. And Conor’s never backed out of a fight, so I would say it’s 99% it’s going to happen.”

As far as possible timeframes for a Tony Ferguson vs. Conor McGregor fight go, Bravo admitted he’s not sure, but suggested UFC 219 on December 30 as a possibility.

“I’m not sure,” he said. “I think [Tony] is ready to go. As far as what he said in interviews, he’s ready to go right away. Maybe a New Years Eve fight or something, you know?”

Whenever it happens, Bravo believes a Ferguson vs. McGregor fight is one of the biggest fights that can currently be made.

“That’s the fight right there, are you kidding me?” he said. “El Cucuy and Conor McGregor… Holy shit, that’s the fight. That’s the fight right there.”

Do you think Conor McGregor and Tony Ferguson will fight each other next, or will the UFC take its two lightweight champions in different directions?

This article first appeared on BJPenn.com on 10/12/2017.