Tony Ferguson scolds former management, Dana White for protecting Conor McGregor

Until recently, top UFC lightweights Tony Ferguson and Conor McGregor were both managed by Paradigm Sports. In April, however, Ferguson parted ways with Paradigm and signed with Ballengee Group.

Speaking to ESPN, Ferguson opened on his departure from Paradigm, claiming he left because the company did everything they could to keep him from a fight with fellow client McGregor.

“When I asked them, I said straight up, ‘I want Conor next,’ they basically told me no,” Ferguson said, per Low Kick MMA. “They’re defending him the same way [UFC President] Dana [White] is defending him. Any person that’s got their hands in Conor’s pockets, they’re kissing their a**. I’m not going to say anything else about that but literally man, the kid don’t run the show. He don’t run me man. You never heard this dude speak my name, you never heard this dude talk sh*t about me.”

“I was pretty damn sure he was going to stay at 145,” Ferguson added. “Apparently, he runs the show over there at Paradigm. I’m not going to talk bad about Paradigm. …But I have some people that are really looking after me now, there are a bunch of them.”

Image: @thenotoriousmma on Instagram

Tony Ferguson continued, sneaking in another dig at the UFC boss Dana White, who he claims is determined to protect Conor McGregor.

“He’s a fathead too,” Ferguson said when asked about the UFC boss’s recent interest in a Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. McGregor rematch. “I’m going to tell you straight up, he’s a fathead too. I’m not talking down on Dana but Dana’s pissed on me more than once or twice man. He said anybody that wore glasses inside should have that sh*t done to them. Remember when I tripped? I wasn’t wearing sunglasses. I was wearing prescription glasses.

” I’m going to get p*ssed on either way man. They want to keep a brown man down. They don’t want to see me with money. Why? Because I might help myself, my family? Give a kid a chance. You want to book McGregor, Khabib, and make your own pockets fat? Cut me out a check and I’ll sit on the sidelines. But I’m not your backup no more. You like me, you don’t. I’m the people’s champ. I’ve had my belt before Dustin and I’ve had it before even Khabib. And these dudes want to act like they don’t even know me? I would too if they were scared as f*ck of me.”

What do you think of these comments from Tony Ferguson?

This article first appeared on BJPENN.COM on 6/6/2019.