Tony Ferguson switches management, no longer shares representation with Conor McGregor

Tony Ferguson and Conor McGregor are no longer represented by the same management group.

According to ESPN’s Ariel Helwani, Ferguson has left Paradigm Sports Management to sign with Ballangee Group. The 35-year-old had been with Paradigm for the last seven years and joins a group that represents former lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez, Vitor Belfort and Aljamain Sterling.

Tony Ferguson (24-3) hasn’t lost a fight since May 2012 and is currently riding an 11-fight win streak. In Oct. 2017 he submitted Kevin Lee in the third round at UFC 216 and captured the UFC’s interim lightweight title. However injuries have kept him out of a title unification bout at 155-pounds as he was stripped of his title in Apr. 2018 following a LCL injury prior to his scheduled UFC 223 matchup against Khabib Nurmagomedov.

He would later return to action in October, stopping former champion Anthony Pettis at UFC 229. Earlier this year he declined another interim lightweight title fight against Max Holloway at UFC 236 due to personal reasons. Instead, Dustin Poirier would take the championship match and defeat Holloway by unanimous decision.

Fergusons’s wife, Christina, filed a temporary restraining order against Ferguson in Orange County Superior Court due to erratic behavior. Ferguson was never charged with anything and the order eventually expired. UFC President Dana White told reporters at UFC 236 last month that he’d like to see Ferguson get cleared by the UFC doctors before he’s scheduled for another fight.

With Ferguson switching management groups, this could lead the way to a potential fight against McGregor down the line. Paradigm Sports Management CEO and President Audie Attar, Paradigm CEO told ESPN the following on Ferguson parting ways with his company.

“Tony Ferguson is a talented athlete, and we hope his future brings him personal happiness both in and out of the Octagon.”

This article first appeared on BJPENN.COM on 4/25/2019.