Tony Ferguson News
VIDEO | Tony Ferguson Isn't Concerning Himself With Convoluted Lightweight Title Politics
Justin Golightly - January 20, 2018
< After the UFC 223 press conference yesterday, a lot of people were confused. Dana White has since tried to clarify, but the UFC’s lightweight title picture is still murky. Conor McGregor hasn’t been stripped, yet Tony Ferguson‘s upcoming fight with Khabib Nurmagomedov is for the undisputed belt. Basically, the UFC is waiting until McGregor gives them the word on whether he’ll defend his belt this year, which will then determine if UFC 223’s main event will be for an interim or the real gold strap. None of it matters to Ferguson though, in his mind, he’s already the real champ and has been since UFC 216. “That is exactly right. I am the undisputed [lightweight] champion. Regardless if [Conor] McGregor comes back or not, we know it was just a big show. The big fight is with me, my fight [with Khabib Nurmagomedov], which is at hand. I’m going to put my 10 fight win record in a row up to 11. What sounds better than 10 in a row? 11. What sounds better than 13 and 1? 14 and 1. So, regardless of what the company does or whatever with the belts, I’m still the champ. I don’t care. That’s [the UFC’s] politics. My politics is this inside that Octagon. So, I have management that will handle the business and do all the other things so I can focus on what’s really important. And that’s Team Tiramisu.”
Conor McGregor's Coach Predicts Khabib Nurmagomedov Beats Tony Ferguson
Justin Golightly - January 19, 2018
It’s official. It was reported, we confirmed it, Dana White backed the report up and later today there is a press conference on it. Tony Ferguson and Khabib Nurmagomedov will try to fight once again. The word is it won’t be for an interim title, but for the undisputed title, which may be confirmed today as well. Either way, Conor McGregor and his coach believe that doesn’t matter, and the Irishman’s shadow will loom over the division until someone actually beats him. As far as the match-up, coach John Kavanagh dissected it in detail and believes Nurmagomedov will come out on top. “[Tony Ferguson and Khabib Nurmagomedov are both] grapplers for a start. Neither really has high level striking, so it’s going to be a grappling match. I think a lot of it will be played with Khabib on top, and I think he wins a decision. I think it goes the five rounds, I think it’s a decision to Khabib. I do think there is a really high risk of it not happening. It’s been scheduled twice and it has not happened twice. It’s very impressive what Khabib can do when he is fighting, just that pace he has and the relentless pressure, but it does require you to train in a certain way that brings on injuries. There is a reason why he is averaging one fight or less over the last couple of years because of multiple surgeries and so on. He’s got a lot of miles on the athletic clock. I would almost see as there being a high likelihood of one pulling out before the fight happens.”
Conor McGregor's Coach Doesn't Care What Belt Ferguson and Khabib Fight For
Justin Golightly - January 18, 2018
The entire week we’ve been tracking the news of what will decide the fate of the UFC lightweight title. Khabib Nurmagomedov is slated to fight Tony Ferguson at UFC 223 in Brooklyn, supposedly for the undisputed belt. This is news to Conor McGregor and his camp, but despite the possibility of it happening, they don’t seem to be too phased by the idea at all. In a recent Facebook Live session, Straight Blast Gym coach John Kavanagh said it doesn’t matter who wins or what belt is on the line, McGregor is still the Champ Champ. “I’m hearing this [fight news] at the same time as everyone else. I see there is a press conference that will happen tomorrow. I think Tony [Ferguson] and Khabib [Nurmagomedov], or else just Khabib, is being interviewed about the fight that Dana [White] announced in April, which was news to me as well. Maybe they’re going to say it at that. Is it an interim title fight or is it a belt fight? I don’t know.”
Khabib Nurmagomedov opens as notable betting favorite over Tony Ferguson
Tom Taylor - January 18, 2018
On April 7, in what is likely to be the main event of UFC 223, Tony Ferguson and Khabib Nurmagomedov will battle for the lightweight title. Veteran MMA oddsmakers Joey Oddessa has now released the opening odds for this fight, identifying Nurmagomedov as a -200 favorite, and Ferguson as a +165 underdog. This means that a successful $100 bet on Ferguson would earn you $165, while it would take a successful $200 bet on Nurmagomedov to make $100. pic.twitter.com/zmJGP7UfjS
BREAKING | Tony Ferguson and Khabib Nurmagomedov Will Fight for the Undisputed Lightweight Title at UFC 223
Justin Golightly - January 16, 2018
The UFC lightweight division has been a mystery wrapped in an enigma basically ever since UFC 205. There’s no clue what multi-millionaire Conor McGregor will do, meanwhile Khabib Nurmagomedov came back with a vengeance and Tony Ferguson won the interim title, only to step on the sidelines for a bit for elbow surgery. Everything was up in the air, until today. Fresh off the heels of a report from Tass.ru that McGregor will supposedly be stripped and the UFC will move on with Nurmagomedov and Ferguson, we have just confirmed the news that is expected to be officially announced at UFC 220. Breaking! I have confirmed with sources that Tony Ferguson and Khabib Nurmagomedov will fight for the undisputed UFC lightweight title at #UFC223 in Brooklyn. The bout will be made official later this week. McGregor will be stripped of his title. The bout was 1st reported by TASS
Report | Undisputed lightweight title fight to be announced during UFC 220 festivities
Tom Taylor - January 16, 2018
Over the last few weeks, we’ve all been wondering what is going to happen at the top of the UFC lightweight division. Will undisputed champion Conor McGregor return? If he does, will he defend his title against interim champion Tony Ferguson or streaking contender Khabib Nurmagomedov? If he doesn’t, will we get Ferguson vs. Nurmagomedov? And when, pray tell, will the UFC strip McGregor for inactivity? Indeed, the questions go on and on… According a report from Tass.Ru, we’ll have answers to all our questions soon.
Tony Ferguson says he's "back to work"
Tom Taylor - January 14, 2018
With UFC lightweight champion Conor McGregor currently on the sidelines counting his millions, the immediate future of interim lightweight champion Tony Ferguson has recently been shrouded in mystery. The main uncertainty has been whether Ferguson will end up battling McGregor in a lightweight title unification bout, or defending his interim title against undefeated contender Khabib Nurmagomedov. Whatever the case, it seems Tony Ferguson in the cusp of having a fight booked. On Saturday afternoon, the interim champ took to Twitter with a message that seemed to imply there’s major fight news on the horizon.
VIDEO | Joe Rogan Believes That the UFC Will Strip Conor McGregor
Justin Golightly - January 13, 2018
As chaotic as the MMA world is right now, the UFC’s lightweight division is still ridiculous. Eddie Alvarez jsut got off an extremely violent win over Justin Gaethje and is waiting for a huge fight. Khabib Nurmagomedov is back and on warpath. Tony Ferguson is the interim lightweight belt holder and still recovering from elbow surgery. Meanwhile, the undisputed champion Conor McGregor is still counting his money and waiting on the right time to show back up. With his future up in the air, Joe Rogan thinks the UFC will strip him make big fights in his absence. “Here’s my prediction: My prediction is Conor [McGregor] doesn’t fight for a while. They strip Conor. Tony [Ferguson] and Khabib [Nurmagomedov] fight for the [undisputed UFC lightweight] world title. […] What I believe is gonna happen is, Conor’s gonna vacate. I think they’re going to strip him.”
Tony Ferguson fires back at "p*ssy" Conor McGregor, coach John Kavanagh
Tom Taylor - January 7, 2018
Conor McGregor's coach responds to Tony Ferguson's "defend or vacate" request
Chris Taylor - January 6, 2018
Conor McGregor’s coach responds to Tony Ferguson’s “defend or vacate” request! Since claiming the promotions interim lightweight title by submitting Kevin Lee at UFC 216, Tony Ferguson has been busy campaigning for Conor McGregor to defend or vacate his lightweight strap.
VIDEO | Dana White's Plan is for Khabib Nurmagomedov to Fight Tony Ferguson Next
Justin Golightly - January 4, 2018
It looks like Khabib Nurmagomedov’s convincing and violent marketing campaign has paid off. He was talking to Dana White in between dominating Edson Barboza at UFC 219, even waiting on him at his car to speak with him in the parking lot. Everything with Conor McGregor is still up in the air, so the UFC is now moving on with or without him. The plan right now is for Nurmagomedov to finally fight Tony Ferguson. It will depend on McGregor if that fight is for the interim or the undisputed UFC lightweight title. “As long as Conor [McGregor] is willing to fight by March, we could do Khabib [Nurmagomedov] versus Tony [Ferguson]. We could do Khabib versus Tony and then the winner fights Conor for the title. Or, Conor doesn’t want to fight and wants to sit out until next fall, then we would have to make Khabib vs. Tony for the title – not the interim title.”
VIDEO | Joe Rogan talks about Tony Ferguson's angry tweet at him for praising Khabib Nurmagomedov
Russell Sai - January 3, 2018
Khabib Nurmagomedov dazzled a lot of people with his performance over Edson Barboza at UFC 219. Although a few people including Conor McGregor and Tony Ferguson were not so impressed by Nurmagomedov’s performance, UFC commentator Joe Rogan was blown away and has talked about a matchup between McGregor and Nurmagomedov as that is undeniably a very intriguing matchup in the UFC lightweight division. Ferguson tweeted after UFC 219, “Yo @joerogan Last Time I Checked I Was The Fuckin Champ… U Trading The 10P Gear For A Hat?”
PHOTO | BossLogic delivers epic poster for rivalry between Nurmagomedov, Ferguson and McGregor
Tom Taylor - December 31, 2017
Last night, in the co-main event of the stacked UFC 219, Dagestani lightweight contender Khabib Nurmagomedov picked up yet another dominant win, violating the dangerous Edson Barboza for three, brutal rounds, and ultimately capturing a clear unanimous decision. With this win, Nurmagomedov is now an unbelievable 25-0 overall. More importantly, he is the clear-cut, undeniable number-one-contender at lightweight, whether we’re discussing challengers for Conor McGregor‘s undisputed lightweight title or Tony Ferguson’s interim lightweight title. In fact, the three lightweight stars would now seem to have one of the most gripping three-way rivalries in the history of MMA. To commemorate this awesome lightweight rivalry, acclaimed graphic artist BossLogic has created an epic poster that pays tribute to all three fighters. See it below:
Tony Ferguson Sends a Holiday Message to Conor McGregor
Justin Golightly - December 23, 2017
When we enter into the UFC’s 2018 year, there are a lot of things up in the air. But hey, it’s always good to end on a cliffhanger, right? One of the big mysteries of the new year is just what Conor McGregor is going to be doing. He’s been seen training jiu jitsu and straight up said he’s fighting MMA next, but he could always change his mind. One of the many fighters in three divisions that are waiting for McGregor’s return is interim UFC lightweight champ Tony Ferguson. While we get our last contender fight of the year with Khabib Nurmagomedov and Edson Barboz at UFC 219, Ferguson waits to see if he’ll unify the belts. With this in mind, he sends perhaps his last message of the year to the Irish ‘Champ Champ’. “Happy Holidays My Hooligans” Papi Chulo Cucuy Says #SeasonsBeatings & Happy New New Year! #DefendorVacate Friggen’ Potatoe Chip Eatin’ McNuggets Dunkin’, Paper Champ Dead Beat. It’s Sad To See Your Fans W/ Me @Thenotoriousmma #VacateBitch #NoBalls 🖕🏽😎 #InGloriousNotorious pic.twitter.com/YcHwmnnAiX
Khabib Nurmagomedov dives in on who the 'real' UFC lightweight champion should be
Russell Ess - December 20, 2017
November 12, 2016, was the last time we saw Conor McGregor fight in the Octagon. McGregor became the UFC lightweight champion that night, capturing the belt from Eddie Alvarez at UFC 205 and also became the first fighter in history to hold two UFC weight division’s titles simultaneously. Over a year has passed since and McGregor has only competed once and it was outside of the Octagon in a highly lucrative boxing match against Floyd Mayweather, which was the second highest pay-per-view event of all time.
Tony Ferguson Goes Off on Eddie Alvarez Over 'Made-Up' Title
Justin Golightly - December 16, 2017
When Eddie Alvarez knocked out Justin Gaethje with a brutal knee after their UFC 218 war, in his mind, he won the unofficial Most Violent UFC title. It was something that he created due to limbo at lightweight and the nature of the fight he had before him. However, there is a real belt in the division, or at least an interim, held by Tony Ferguson. The interim lightweight champ Ferguson wasn’t impressed, by the fight are the ‘title’ Alvarez boasts about. He took to Twitter to tell Alvarez what he thought and didn’t hold back one bit. …Eddie Alvarez was quick to respond though. I would rip your skinny body apart if I cared to fight you , but I don’t care to fight You soo … Merry Christmas “Champ” 😂😂😂
Tony Ferguson Says His Surgery Was to Sharpen His Elbows for McGregor in 2018
Justin Golightly - December 9, 2017
Just a couple of days ago, it was made known to the world that Tony Ferguson underwent surgery on his elbow and his return to the Octagon was up in the air. The info was released by his wife on her private Instagram account, but the news quickly proliferated all the outlets asking what this meant for the lightweight division. But fear not, Ferguson took to social media today to give an update on his health. Not only will he be returning sooner than expected but he drops the bomb than when he does come back, it will be against none other than Conor McGregor to unify the UFC lightweight title.
VIDEO | Kevin Lee Warns Conor McGregor to Get his Sh-t Together
Justin Golightly - December 5, 2017
Kevin Lee and Conor McGregor have something in common: They’re both due for a comeback. Lee fell short against interim UFC lightweight champion Tony Ferguson back at UFC 216, but the UFC hasn’t seen McGregor since he held both the featherweight and lightweight belts over his head in Madison Square Garden last year. Kevin Lee vows to fight sooner rather than later, offering a scolding for the organization’s Champ Champ and warns he’s got multiple beatings ahead of him. “Yeah, that boy [Conor McGregor is] f-cking up. I don’t know, if the rumors are true or whatever, he better get his sh-t together because he’s got a long mountain to climb. People are saying oh, is he going to fight, is he going to do this? I take the man for his word. He say he a fighter. I think he’s gonna’ come back. He has to come back and try to defend that title. He’s got a long mountain to climb up there. He’s got Tony [Ferguson] as soon as he comes back. Tony’s going to beat the hell out of him. As soon as he loses that one, I’m going to beat the hell out of him and then he’s going to be down in the dirt.”
Max Holloway Was Willing to Fight Some Crazy Opponents to Stay on UFC 218
Justin Golightly - November 30, 2017
After Frankie Edgar had to pull out of UFC 218 due to a injured orbital, there was a crazy storm of fighters trying to get that fight. Once there is a title on the line, everyone comes out of the woodwork. Jose Aldo, Ricardo Lamas, Cub Swanson, and Brian Ortega all wanted to leave their match-ups they were booked in for a chance at Max Holloway’s featherweight title. At the end of the day, it ended up being the former king of the division. Early in the negotiations, Holloway’s manager leaked some of the name ideas, but now he’s just revealed what great lengths Holloway was going to go to stay on the card. “[Darren Elkins was considered as a replacement and] the UFC wasn’t too excited about that. [Max Holloway] said he would fight [Tony] Ferguson, he talked about [Donald] ‘Cowboy’ [Cerrone], going up to 155 and doing whatever. We thought that we were going to get Cub [Swanson]. but it ended up being [Jose] Aldo. Max just calmly said, ‘It is what it is, and let’s do it.’ He signed the bout contract within minutes.”