Tag: Tony Ferguson

UFC 249 breakdown: Tony Ferguson, Justin Gaethje both bring pressure. Who was going to get the finish?

MMA Junkie fight analyst Dan Tom takes a closer look at the scrapped UFC 249 headliner between Tony Ferguson and Justin Gaethje.

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MMA Junkie analyst Dan Tom breaks down the UFC’s top bouts. Today, we look at the scrapped main event for UFC 249, which was to feature two of the most exciting fighters in the sport.

Set to take place Saturday at Tachi Palace Resort Casino in California, UFC 249 was canceled due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Who was Tom leaning toward in this matchup, which could still come to fruition later this year? Read on.

Tony Ferguson (25-3 MMA, 14-1 UFC)

Staple info:

  • Height: 5’11” Age: 36 Weight: 155 lbs. Reach: 76″
  • Last fight: TKO win over Donald Cerrone (June 8, 2019)
  • Camp: 10th Planet Jiu-Jitsu (California)
  • Stance/striking style: Switch-stance/muay Thai
  • Risk management: Fair

Supplemental info:

+ Former interim UFC lightweight champion
+ 2x All-American wrestler
+ Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt
+ 13 KO wins
+ 8 submission wins
+ 9 first-round finishes
+ Relentless pace and pressure
^ Well-conditioned/consistent stalker
+ Dynamic striking assault
^ Shifts stance and variates timing
+ Solid wrestling ability
^ Superb hip, grip and lever awareness
+ Excellent from front-headlock
^ Chokes, transitions, back-takes
+ Active and attacking guard

Justin Gaethje (21-2 MMA, 4-2 UFC)

Staple info:

  • Height: 5’11” Age: 31 Weight: 155 lbs. Reach: 70″
  • Last fight: TKO win over Donald Cerrone (Sept. 14, 2019)
  • Camp: Elevation Fight Team (Denver)
  • Stance/striking style: Orthodox/kickboxing
  • Risk management: Fair

Supplemental info:

+ WSOF lightweight title
+ NCAA Division I All-American wrestler
+ 18 KO victories
+ 1 submission win
+ 9 first-round finishes
+ KO power
+ Relentless pace and pressure
+ Heavy right hand
^ Variates between overhands and uppercuts
+ Hard leg kicks
+ Strong inside the clinch
^ Good hips and dirty boxing
+ Strikes well off the break
+ Excellent wrestling and scrambling ability
+/- Propensity to brawl

Point of interest: Pressure king

Once Khabib Nurmagomedov was forced out of UFC 249, the new main event was to feature an interim title fight between two of the most violent pressure fighters in the history of the lightweight division.

Walking a fine line between forward mover and voracious marauder, [autotag]Tony Ferguson[/autotag] seldom can be found taking a back step in his fights.

Whether he is feinting or throwing, Ferguson – for the most part – is consistently putting pressure on his opponents, looking to either slice-and-dice his way inside or half-step his way into kill shots off of his accurate jab. From powerful prods to crafty checks, I suspect that the former interim titleholder’s jab would have been a weapon to watch for in this matchup.

Ferguson also uses straight shots to help him counterbalance off of his body and leg kicks and is not opposed to mixing spinning attacks into his offensive shifts and defensive slips. Nevertheless, it is in these instances of shifting attacks and advancements where Ferguson is most hittable and susceptible to being countered.

Although Ferguson has a deceptive ability to roll with the punches, taking shots becomes an extra dangerous proposition when you’re standing across from [autotag]Justin Gaethje[/autotag].

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A man who might own the most violent and financially fruitful six-fight start in UFC history, Gaethje has proven to be highlight-reel material, win or lose.

A relentless forward mover, Gaethje embodies the phrase “a bull in a China shop” with his unabashed aggression and hard-wiring to inflict damage. Doing his best work when on the attack, Gaethje will gain his opponent’s respect with hard hooks and crosses, looking to punctuate his presence with crushing uppercuts and leg kicks when appropriate.

Similar to a Spartan behind his shield in a phalanx, Gaethje relies heavily upon his double-forearm guard, planting and looking to counter with immediacy.

Outside of his shelling defense, the 31-year-old has sometimes shown little regard for what comes back at him in the past, something that is reflected by his statistics in the strikes absorbed department. That said, Gaethje – under the tutelage of longtime coach Trevor Wittman – has quietly shown improvements in the feints and footwork department that have helped him both defensively and offensively.

I doubt that Gaethje hurting Ferguson at some point in the fight would have surprised anyone; I’m just curious if Gaethje would have made the same mistake many have when it comes to chasing a hurt Ferguson into the murky waters in which he thrives.

Next point of interest: Taking the bull by the horns

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Despite UFC 249 cancellation, Tony Ferguson says he’s still cutting weight

UFC 249 won’t be happening April 18, but should-have-been headliner Tony Ferguson is apparently still cutting weight.

UFC 249 won’t be happening April 18, but should-have-been headliner [autotag]Tony Ferguson[/autotag] is apparently still cutting weight.

According to a Twitter post from Ferguson (25-3 MMA, 15-1 UFC) on Saturday, the former interim UFC lightweight champion says he will still attempt to hit the scales at 155 pounds on Friday.

“Still Workin’” Gonna Make Weight By Friday #ChampionshipWeight 155lbs,” Ferguson wrote (emojis omitted). “It’s A TUF Thing. Champ Shit Only #ufc249. Keep Grindin’ Crew”

Ferguson was scheduled to be one half of the UFC 249 main event on April 18. However, due to coronavirus travel restrictions, his opponent Khabib Nurmagomedov was unable to leave his native Russia. Ultimately, Nurmagomedov was removed from his fight against Tony Ferguson. Although Justin Gaethje replaced Nurmagomedov, the event was eventually canceled.

“Oh wow,” Ferguson said, upon finding out the news of UFC 249’s cancellation. “Oh, well. I’m still going to train. … I’m sure it’s for a good reason. Let’s be real. I got to keep the faith.”

Ferguson has not competed since June 2019. Prior to his UFC 238 win over Donald Cerrone, Ferguson hadn’t stepped foot inside the cage since October 2018.

Check out Tony Ferguson’s tweet below:

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Silver linings: 5 reasons why UFC shutdown isn’t all bad | Opinion

There’s still hope for Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Tony Ferguson.

Although the fight game is on hold due to the global coronavirus pandemic, it’s not all doom and gloom.

We all want to see UFC, Bellator and other major MMA promotions in business and putting on fights. Some saw the extreme efforts to pull off UFC 249 and beyond as a beacon of hope, while others deemed it foolish. Ultimately, putting on events was just not realistic during this time of global crisis, and that concept was reinforced Thursday when ESPN and Disney executives, at the urging of California Gov. Gavin Newsom, did what Dana White wouldn’t and pulled the plug on the April 18 show.

All announced events in the aftermath of UFC 249 are indefinitely suspended, as well, and there’s no telling when fights will resume. White insists it could happen as soon as a month from now on the private island he says he’s secured, but it remains to be seen if he can successfully execute that plan.

Assuming the pandemic doesn’t worsen to a more critical degree, the assumption is sports will eventually return, even if in a limited manner. The attempts to salvage UFC 249 threw the entire promotion into a loop, but the fallout of its postponement wasn’t all bad.

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Below are five silver linings to the UFC temporarily halting operations.

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There’s still hope for Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Tony Ferguson

The end product in the UFC 249 hoopla would have been an interim lightweight title fight between [autotag]Tony Ferguson[/autotag] and [autotag]Justin Gaethje[/autotag]. It’s an incredible matchup that very much needs to happen at some point, but it’s not the fight the world was promised or wants to see most. We all want Ferguson to finally get in the octagon with unbeaten champion [autotag]Khabib Nurmagomedov[/autotag].

The need to scramble for a new UFC 249 main event when Nurmagomedov fell off his matchup with Ferguson for a fifth time was out of sheer desperation. If “El Cucuy” had lost, it would have truly been a shame. Now it’s absolutely necessary to go back to the Nurmagomedov vs. Ferguson well.

The matchup is arguably the most important fight that can be made. It’s something of a blessing it didn’t happen at UFC 249, because we wouldn’t have gotten the best version of either fighter under these conditions anyway. Now the UFC will have the time to make sure it happens in a manner where both athletes are properly prepared.

Conor McGregor vs. Justin Gaethje can happen now

Before everything got thrown into chaos, there was growing discussion that Gaethje was the leading candidate in the sweepstakes for a summer showdown with [autotag]Conor McGregor[/autotag]. Gaethje stepping into UFC 249 temporarily threw that idea into disarray, because a win over Ferguson would have made Gaethje the interim champion and set up a title unifier with Nurmagomedov.

Maybe the matchup with McGregor would’ve come after that and been even sweeter with a title, but I’d prefer to see it now, with one man using the win as the trajectory to a legitimate title shot. Gaethje is a fascinating test for McGregor with his kill-or-be-killed approach, and it’s the right time to make such a fight.

If UFC 249 went forward, it would’ve left McGregor in a weird spot and as something of an outside man in terms of lightweight contenders. But now he has a matchup that makes perfect sense, and hopefully it’ll get made.

The chance for bantamweight clarity

One of the cards that fell victim to the UFC indefinitely suspending events is UFC 250, which originally was set for May 9 in Sao Paulo, Brazil, with a bantamweight title headliner between Henry Cejudo and Jose Aldo. The matchup was heavily criticized from the outset, as Aldo would receive a title shot coming off back-to-back losses in a division where he holds exactly zero career wins.

Aldo basically was given the title shot because A) White thought he beat Marlon Moraes in his 135-pound debut at UFC 245; B) He remains a draw in Brazil, and the UFC needed someone with his name value to headline in the country, and; C) For his resume and the fact his run as featherweight champion was one of the great title reigns in UFC history.

Still, though, Aldo didn’t deserve the shot, especially when bantamweight is one of the deepest divisions in the UFC right now. Aljamain Sterling, Petr Yan, Cory Sandhagen, and Moraes are all more worthy of getting that fight, and hopefully this break provides a chance to hit the reset button and make a more legitimate title bout for Cejudo’s first defense.

We’re going to get some insanely stacked fight cards

When the time does come for events to start happening in full swing again, the UFC is going to have quite a few fights to make up. White insists every athlete on the roster will get the fights owed on their contract, and surely the more notable names will be pushed to the front of the queue.

That should mean some incredibly deep fight cards going forward. Multiple title fights, matchups that would typically headline or co-headline a card filling out a main card or prelims; expect some real depth for at least the first few months once things reset.

Much-needed time off for UFC employees

The UFC staff is a collection of unsung heroes who don’t get nearly enough praise for the week-to-week effort it takes to make events happen. I’m not talking about White, the matchmakers, or other high-level executives. These are the media relations workers, the production staff, the stagehands, and more.

It takes an army to pull off events at the level the UFC does, and it happens near-flawlessly every time. I’ve covered other major sports from NBA to NHL to MLS, and the UFC has as tight an operation as any of them. Compared to other MMA promotions? It’s night and day.

The people who make that happen work tirelessly and to the bone. With 42 events per year, how could they not be exhausted? It’s a ruthless grind, and while it’s not what everyone wants, the time to rest, recovery and recharge will certainly be appreciate by those who bounce from location to location around the world to help satisfy the endless UFC calendar.

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This Coachella-inspired UFC poster is so, so good

Brilliant.

With the UFC shutting down indefinitely on Thursday, we are now guaranteed to be without major MMA action for who knows how long. It could be a month if Dana White gets his way, but it’s likely to be longer than that if the global coronavirus pandemic doesn’t tail off soon.

And so, what do we do without fights? We dream. You know what would be nice? If, when the UFC comes back, the promotion satisfies starved MMA fans with an epic weekend. [autotag]Conor McGregor[/autotag], [autotag]Khabib Nurmagomedov[/autotag], [autotag]Tony Ferguson[/autotag], [autotag]Jorge Masvidal[/autotag], [autotag]Daniel Cormier[/autotag], [autotag]Stipe Miocic[/autotag], [autotag]Israel Adesanya[/autotag], [autotag]Amanda Nunes[/autotag], [autotag]Valentina Shevchenko[/autotag] … just book them all for a three-day weekend of action Coachella style.

Speaking of Coachella, the iconic music festival was supposed to kick off this weekend. On Friday, a Twitter user who goes by Ariel Helvani (with a “v”) blessed us with this Coachella-inspired UFC poster:

Just look at all those amazing matchups. But also, I can’t stop laughing at the fine print! In addition to fights, there’s also:

  • Leon Edwards Sadly Watching Covington vs. Masvidal
  • African American History With Mike Perry
  • B.J. Penn vs. Drunken Hawaiian Off The Street
  • The Evolution of Dance Presented By Holly Holm and Mini Blessed Holloway
  • Kevin Lee Fitting Into All This
  • Tony Ferguson Fighting Again Because He’s The Type Of Guy To
  • The Joe Rogan Experience Live With Nate Diaz & A Lot Of Marijuana

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Well done, Mr. Helvani.

The Blue Corner is MMA Junkie’s blog space. We don’t take it overly serious, and neither should you. If you come complaining to us that something you read here is not hard-hitting news, expect to have the previous sentence repeated in ALL CAPS.

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Twitter Mailbag: On Tony Ferguson deserving better from UFC, future must-see fights, and more

Why did’t the UFC call Tony Ferguson about UFC 249 being canceled before going public? That and more in this week’s Twitter Mailbag.

Questions on your mind about recent happenings in MMA or the sport in general? MMA Junkie’s Twitter Mailbag is here to answer – and this week it’s @MikeBohnMMA:

  • What do we think of the UFC not informing [autotag]Tony Ferguson[/autotag] of UFC 249 being off before going public?
  • How come more big-name fighters don’t aim to fight three times a year?
  • How will MMA journalists stay busy during this MMA-less period?

Those are answered in the video above. You can also read on a few more topics below.

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Which three fights do you want to see most when UFC events resume?

The obvious No. 1 is [autotag]Khabib Nurmagomedov[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Tony Ferguson[/autotag]. I don’t care if this fight has failed to materialize five times – with a damn global pandemic of all things leading to the fifth scratch. The world needs to see it, and it’s worth booking again. Sadly, it’s not going to happen any time in the near future. Nurmagomedov will begin observing Ramadan later this month, and that essentially rules him out from fighting until mid-August at the earliest. It’ll have been 14 months between fights for Ferguson by that point, but again, it’s worth the wait, because we have to see it.

My No. 2 pick would go to [autotag]Tyron Woodley[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Colby Covington[/autotag], although the back-and-forth between the bitter rivals has gotten somewhat exhausting in recent weeks as they played a game of “He Said, She Said” about a short-notice fight at UFC 249. That ultimately proved to be a pointless practice. Still, I want to see that fight. The disdain between the two sides has been building, and while it would’ve been better timing when Woodley was champion, it’s still be one of the best fights that can be made at welterweight.

Last but not least, my No. 3 pick goes to [autotag]Alistair Overeem[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Walt Harris[/autotag]. The UFC has booked this heavyweight headliner three times since December, but each time it has fallen apart. It’s not for a belt, or even a title eliminator, but more than anything I just want to see Harris back in there after the personal hardship he’s endured over the shocking murder of his stepdaughter. He seemed to be in a good place when I spoke with him last month in Las Vegas, but said it was helpful to have that goal of a fight as he continues to grieve the tragic loss. Hopefully he can get that opportunity back soon.

Would you be interested in flying to ‘Fight Island’ to cover some events?

I think it’s too soon to answer that, honestly. Mainly because we have no idea where Dana White’s private island is. Is it in North America, Europe, Asia, or elsewhere? Even if it was a manageable distance from me here in Toronto, I’m not too keen on the concept of traveling through an airport right now, and who knows where things will stand in a month, when White hopes to have his island up and running for events.

If this entire coronavirus situation takes a turn for worse, it’s hard to predict what the world will look like in four or five weeks. If the situation subsides for the better, then a realistic discussion can be had. But, assuming everything is safe, would I be interested in traveling to an island to cover MMA fights? Of course. That sounds dope.

Will GSP ever leave retirement and fight again?

I’m leaning pretty strongly toward no. I didn’t think [autotag]Georges St-Pierre[/autotag] would return the first time after stepping away in November 2013, so he’s proven me wrong once before. But we’re approaching three years since his one-night comeback against Michael Bisping to win the UFC middleweight title, and St-Pierre is set to turn 39 next month.

Anyone who associates with St-Pierre will say he’s still as sharp as ever in the gym and maintains a disciplined lifestyle. He definitely remains capable of competing and could probably beat the majority of the top fighters at welterweight – and even middleweight – right now. What’s the point, though? St-Pierre’s legacy is pristine and not worth tainting. UFC has also not been willing to give him the matchups he wants most (which contributed to his retirement), and that likely hasn’t changed.

To ask a question of your own, follow @MMAjunkie on Twitter and let us know.

Twitter Mailbag: Tony Ferguson’s mistreatment, must-see future fights, more

This edition of MMA Junkie’s Twitter Mailbag is hosted by Mike Bohn as he answers a few reader questions.

This edition of MMA Junkie’s Twitter Mailbag is hosted by Mike Bohn as he answers a few reader questions.

Dana White caves to intense pressure, calls off UFC 249

Dana White backed off his efforts to stage UFC 249 on Native American land April 18 as a result of pressure TV executives and politicians.

Any boxing promoters thinking about emulating Dana White, who has been determined to keep his sport going during the coronavirus pandemic, should forget it.

The head of UFC gave up on his efforts to stage UFC 249 on April 18 on Native American land in central California under pressure from broadcast partner ESPN and parent company Disney, which obviously had no interest in televising the event. And future UFC events reportedly have been postponed indefinitely.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom expressed concerns over the event to Disney, according to The New York Times. And officials at Disney contacted White.

ESPN issued a statement that read: “ESPN has been in constant contact with the U.F.C. regarding U.F.C. 249. Nobody wants to see sports return more than we do, but we didn’t feel this was the right time for a variety of reasons. ESPN expressed its concerns to the U.F.C. and they understood.”

White’s plan was to stage the card, originally scheduled for Brooklyn, without spectators.The main event was scheduled to be Tony Ferguson vs. Justin Gaethje after Khabib Nurmagomedov pulled out.

White told ESPN only days ago that he is “going to continue to pump fights out” in spite of widespread lock downs. He ultimately planned to showcase his product on an undisclosed private island, an idea that many people found fascinating.

And then the counter pressure proved to be too much.

“The powers that be there asked me to stand down and not do this event next Saturday,” White said.

He went on: “These are people that I am partners with, people whom I have a lot of respect with, and I’m going to do it, I’m going to say yes [to requests to postpone the April 18 card].”

ESPN reported that all other scheduled UFC events also have been postponed.

 

 

 

Tony Ferguson found out UFC 249 was off while doing an interview

Tony Ferguson was left in the dark by Dana White and the UFC.

[autotag]Tony Ferguson[/autotag] was left in the dark about the UFC’s plan to call off UFC 249 until after it became public.

Ferguson was in the middle of conducting a pre-fight interview with the Orange County Register for his now-canceled April 18 bout with Justin Gaethje for the interim lightweight title when he was informed of the announcement that the card would no longer take place.

The reporter who conducted the interview, Brian Martin, described Ferguson as “in shock” when he found out. A person close to Ferguson told MMA Junkie that his account was accurate.

“Oh wow,” Ferguson said, followed by silence. “Oh, well. I’m still going to train. … I’m sure it’s for a good reason. Let’s be real. I got to keep the faith.”

Ferguson (25-3 MMA, 15-1 UFC) has endured a roller coaster in recent weeks. He originally was supposed to fight Khabib Nurmagomedov for the undisputed 155-pound belt at UFC 249, which was first set for Brooklyn, N.Y. Then the coronavirus pandemic hit, and the UFC was forced to scramble for a new location.

Nurmagomedov fell out of the bout in the midst of all this after he returned to his native Russia, and his ability to compete was muzzled by travel restrictions. Gaethje stepped in, and the UFC secured Tachi Palace Casino Resort on tribal land in Lemoore, Calif., to host the card.

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The chips started to fall in the days after, though. On Thursday, UFC president Dana White cited the instruction of Disney and ESPN executives for deciding not to proceed with UFC 249. The New York Times subsequently reported that California Gov. Gavin Newsom played a role in postponing the event.

Now the UFC remains in flux. White said he’s targeting events to start back up in roughly one month but provided no assurances. Nurmagomedov won’t be able to fight until late summer at the earliest, though, as he is set to begin observing Ramadan later this month.

That could mean a bit of a wait for Ferguson if he wants a sixth booking against “The Eagle,” but he insisted he will go with the flow in this time of crisis.

“The constant is things are always going to change,” Ferguson said. “The variable is how am I going to react to it? So we could throw that variable, baby, and we make that the constant. Which is why I’m going to keep smiling, I’m gonna keep training, and you know what? I’m gonna put on some muscle. Dude, I’m skinny. I’m gonna put on some muscle.”

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Dana White releases UFC 249 promo, dubbing event ‘the most stacked card of the year’

The newly-released promo for UFC 249 is here, featuring Tony Ferguson, Justin Gaethje, Francis Ngannou, Jairzinho Rozenstruik and more.

The circumstances may be different, but the UFC’s promotional machine is back in full flow ahead of UFC 249 on Apr. 18.

With a full fight card, a location secured and even a title fight in the main event, the event is good to go, and the UFC’s newly-released promo says it’s their most stacked card of the year.

The event, which seemingly flies in the face of the rest of the sporting world, which remains under virtual lockdown due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, features a fight card packed with eye-catching matchups, headlined by the interim lightweight title battle between former interim champ [autotag]Tony Ferguson[/autotag] and ex-WSOF 155-pound king [autotag]Justin Gaethje[/autotag].

As you’d expect, the promo for the event goes big on the Ferguson-Gaethje matchup, but also shines a light on three other big-ticket fights on the card. UFC president Dana White was the first to share it to the world via his Twitter account.

The heavyweight clash between rival knockout artists [autotag]Francis Ngannou[/autotag] and [autotag]Jairzinho Rozenstruik[/autotag] gets second billing on the promo, followed by the other heavyweight bout on the card between heavy-handed prospects [autotag]Yorgan De Castro[/autotag] and [autotag]Greg Hardy[/autotag]. Also featured is the featherweight battle between hard-hitting 145ers [autotag]Calvin Kattar[/autotag] and [autotag]Jeremy Stephens[/autotag].

The promo boldly declares UFC 249 to be “the most stacked card of the year.” Given the bout list for the Apr. 18 event, it’s a fair claim.

UFC 249 takes place at an unconfirmed location (believed to be the Tachi Palace Casino Resort in Leemore, Calif.) on Saturday, Apr. 18. The event will be broadcast live on ESPN+ pay-per-view at 10 p.m. ET following the preliminary card on ESPN2 from 8 p.m. ET.

UFC 249 bouts include (bout order TBC):

  • Tony Ferguson vs. Justin Gaethje – for interim lightweight title
  • Jessica Andrade vs. TBA
  • Yorgan De Castro vs. Greg Hardy
  • Vicente Luque vs. Niko Price
  • Calvin Kattar vs. Jeremy Stephens
  • Francis Ngannou vs. Jairzinho Rozenstruik
  • Uriah Hall vs. Ronaldo Souza
  • Alexander Hernandez vs. Omar Morales
  • Ray Borg vs. Marlon Vera
  • Michael Johnson vs. Khama Worthy
  • Sijara Eubanks vs. Sarah Moras
  • Sam Alvey vs. Ryan Spann

The Blue Corner is MMA Junkie’s blog space. We don’t take it overly serious, and neither should you. If you come complaining to us that something you read here is not hard-hitting news, expect to have the previous sentence repeated in ALL CAPS.

UFC 249 free fight: Tony Ferguson defeats Anthony Pettis in bloody war

Before Tony Ferguson faces Justin Gaethje at UFC 249, relive his war with Anthony Pettis in 2018.

When caught in a dark place, few fighters thrive like [autotag]Tony Ferguson[/autotag].

Ferguson (25-3 MMA, 15-1 UFC) faced former UFC lightweight champion [autotag]Anthony Pettis[/autotag] at UFC 229, having miraculously returned from knee surgery just six months later.

Ferguson has been rocked in fights before, but it only seems to make him stronger, and when Pettis had him in deep trouble early in Round 2, he had to show his grit once again.

After being dropped by a counter right, Ferguson started rolling around to get out of danger and, in the midst of the chaos, Pettis was cut badly and the referee intervened to check on his cut. When the action resumed, the momentum started to swing Ferguson’s way, and he fully capitalized.

Ferguson continued to press forward, throwing heavy leg kicks and shots to the body. “El Cucuy’s” constant pressure eventually took its toll on Pettis, who was cut on the other side of his face. After the end of Round 2, Pettis’ corner decided to waive the fight off, and Ferguson was awarded the TKO win.

Since then, Ferguson scored another stoppage win over Donald Cerrone, where he was able to, yet again, inflict a ton of damage to his opponent.

He was scheduled to challenge UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov at UFC 249, but after the travel ban restrictions during the coronavirus outbreak forced Nurmagomedov out, Ferguson was booked against Justin Gaethje for the interim lightweight title.

Before he returns to action on April 18, check out Ferguson’s bloody battle with Pettis in the video above.

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