Tag: Tony Ferguson

Dana White: Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Tony Ferguson still on, but probably not in United States

Dana White isn’t willing to let the fifth booking of Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Tony Ferguson fall by the wayside, even in the face of a pandemic.

Dana White isn’t willing to let the fifth booking of [autotag]Khabib Nurmagomedov[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Tony Ferguson[/autotag] fall by the wayside, even in the face of a worldwide pandemic.

In his first interview since he announced the cancellations of the March 21, March 28, and April 11 UFC events due to the coronavirus outbreak, White said the scheduled April 18 fight between Khabib Nurmagomedov and Tony Ferguson will still happen.

“We’re postponing the next three events, but Tony Ferguson vs. Khabib (on) April 18 is still on,” White said on ESPN’s SportsCenter. “That will still happen.”

Nurmagomedov (28-0 MMA, 12-0 UFC) vs. Ferguson (25-3 MMA, 15-1 UFC) was originally scheduled to take place at UFC 249 at Barclays Center in the New York borough of Brooklyn. However, due to the recent coronavirus outbreak, the event was pulled from the venue.

In order for the lightweight title fight to happen, White said the UFC will have to make some adjustments. The promotion will comply with any government guidelines, White said. This probably means bringing the fight outside of the United States and not having a crowd.

“We’re going to follow these guidelines to not have more than 10 people in a room,” White said. “We’re hoping this all clears up by April. This fight is going to happen. No crowd – whatever it takes. It probably won’t even be in the United States, but this fight is going to happen.”

[vertical-gallery id=497274]

[vertical-gallery id=329266]

Spinning Back Clique: Agree with Dana White? Was UFC 248 main event letdown Yoel Romero’s fault?

So much to discuss coming out of UFC 248, and this week Eric Nicksick of Xtreme Couture joins the show to unpack it all.

Welcome to “Spinning Back Clique,” MMA Junkie’s weekly show that takes a spin through the biggest topics in mixed martial arts. In this week’s episode, “Gorgeous” George and “Goze” are joined by guest Eric Nicksick of Xtreme Couture to unpack the fallout from an eventful – and uneventful – UFC 248 and more.

SHOW RUNDOWN:

  • The UFC 248 headliner between middleweight champion [autotag]Israel Adesanya[/autotag] and [autotag]Yoel Romero[/autotag] was anything but the war we all expected, with Adesanya winning a bizarre snooze-fest by unanimous decision to retain his title. Afterward, UFC president Dana White placed all of the blame on Romero, who, at 42, received this title shot despite a two-fight losing streak. The way White sees it, it was on him to go all out and win the title. Do we agree?
  • On the complete opposite spectrum of the UFC 248 headliner was the co-main event, an instant classic that saw strawweight champion [autotag]Zhang Weili[/autotag] retain her title by winning a split decision against [autotag]Joanna Jedrzejczyk[/autotag]. What did we learn about both women after such an incredible and brutal title fight?
  • With UFC 248 out of the way, UFC 249 is the next pay-per-view, and you know what that means: [autotag]Khabib Nurmagomedov[/autotag] and [autotag]Tony Ferguson[/autotag] finally will attempt to meet inside the octagon after four failed bookings. Before they do, though, they came face to face at the first UFC 249 news conference in Las Vegas, and it was quite the intense experience. We share our takeaways.
  • [autotag]Sean O’Malley[/autotag] and [autotag]Neil Magny[/autotag] returned to the octagon at UFC 248 after dealing with lengthy ordeals involving the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency, which ultimately resulted in their exoneration. And both men looked good in claiming victories. What do we think is next as they try to get their career back on track?
  • In a story from out of left field, UFC featherweight [autotag]Brian Ortega[/autotag] allegedly attacked Jay Park, rapper and friend of “The Korean Zombie” [autotag]Chan Sung Jung[/autotag], while sitting cageside at UFC 248. The incident, which was caught on video, is so unlike anything we’d expect from Ortega given the character he’s shown through the years. We react to what transpired.

For answers to all of those questions, watch Episode 19 of “Spinning Back Clique” above.

[vertical-gallery id=497932]

Khabib Nurmagomedov won’t speculate on Tony Ferguson’s mental health before UFC 249

Khabib Nurmagomedov is too focused on fighting Tony Ferguson to worry about any potential personal problems.

LAS VEGAS – [autotag]Khabib Nurmagomedov[/autotag] won’t get sucked into the narrative about [autotag]Tony Ferguson[/autotag]’s state of mind as time winds down to one of the biggest fights in UFC history.

Nurmagomedov (28-0 MMA, 12-0 UFC), the UFC lightweight champion, was just a few feet from Ferguson (25-3 MMA, 15-1 UFC) on Friday as they participated in a news conference to promote UFC 249, which takes place April 18 and sees the pair clash for the title in the pay-per-view main event.

Although Ferguson is unique when it comes to everything from his personality to his preparation to his in-cage fighting style, some of his behaviors of late have been unusual even by his standards, especially the March 2019 reports of his family expressing concern for his well being. Ferguson shut down a question about his mental health at the news conference, and Nurmagomedov on Saturday was asked for his perspective.

Nurmagomedov didn’t want to delve into Ferguson’s personal life, especially because he is preparing to try to “smash” his challenger in a matter of weeks.

“Nothing personal here, I don’t want to talk about his problems – family stuff, mental stuff. This is his problem,” Nurmagomedov told reporters, including MMA Junkie, at Dominance MMA media day. “I don’t want to talk about his problems. Everybody has problems. Nobody is safe. If he need help we have to help him, but we’re going to fight next month. I don’t want to think about my opponent and talk about his mental health.”

[lawrence-related id=497316,497147]

The press conference between Nurmagomedov and Ferguson got quite heated. Both fighters went after each other in a personal way, and there was no shortage of tension.

Nurmagomedov and Ferguson have quite the history, with UFC 249 representing the fifth time they’ve been scheduled to fight each other. Both men have pulled out of two matchups each, but Nurmagomedov said he’s holding out hope the bout finally happens.

The news conference was perhaps the most intense encounter between the rivals, but Nurmagomedov said he viewed it all as good fun. He’s anticipating the fight as much as anyone and hopes to deliver the treat the fight world is waiting for.

“I think it was fun because Tony’s funny guy,” Nurmagomedov said. “Next month, fighting, we hope we will be fighting, and this is very interesting fight. Dream fight for fans, for you as media, for fighters everywhere. Like fan, I love this fight with Tony.”

[jwplayer MA69Fsd2-RbnemIYZ]

Khabib Nurmagomedov: Tony Ferguson stands in way of becoming greatest lightweight

Khabib Nurmagomedov does not like Tony Ferguson, but the UFC lightweight champ understands what “El Cucuy” and UFC 249 mean to his legacy.

LAS VEGAS – [autotag]Khabib Nurmagomedov[/autotag] does not like [autotag]Tony Ferguson[/autotag], but the UFC lightweight champ understands what “El Cucuy” means to his legacy.

“I like challenges,” Nurmagomedov told MMA Junkie at a Friday news conference in Las Vegas. “If you watch, like, when I fought Conor (McGregor), when I fought Dustin Poirier, when I fought all my fights – this guy is one of the best in the world. When I watch my legacy in the lightweight division, I think, ‘Hey, I have to fight this Tony Ferguson.'”

The MMA world has long thought along very similar lines. The matchup between Nurmagomedov (28-0 MMA, 12-0 UFC), the undefeated titleholder, and Ferguson (25-3 MMA, 15-1 UFC), the former interim champ who only lost his title due to an injury, has been scheduled four times previously – only to fall apart each time.

[lawrence-related id=497254,497115]

Now the pair are scheduled to headline UFC 249, which takes place April 18 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y. Nurmagomedov currently sits at No. 1 in the latest USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie lightweight rankings, with Ferguson just behind at No. 2, so the stakes of the contest are clear.

The emotion behind it also became evident Friday, when the two engaged in several lengthy verbal clashes before they stood in front of each other for a very spirited staredown.

Nurmagomedov admitted he is no fan of Ferguson as a person, but said he understands the danger the winner of “The Ultimate Fighter 13” and owner of an impressive 12-fight UFC winning streak brings to the cage.

“I think we have to fight,” Nurmagomedov said. “I think he deserves this. He’s a real challenge. I respect his skills, but (as a) fighter. He is a very good fighter, but why people don’t like him is because he’s a stupid guy. Nobody understands him. Like, honestly, he looks stupid. That’s why nobody likes him. But (as a) fighter, he’s a very good fighter, and I respect his skill. That’s why he’s here.

“Biggest fight of the year, and we’ll see April 18.”

It’s a clash that has been long-anticipated in MMA circles, and though it’s seemed cursed, at times, after falling apart for a variety of scenarios, Nurmagomedov is focused on the contest. According to the Dagestani dominator, beating Ferguson is imperative to cementing his place in history.

“If I want to become the greatest lightweight ever, I have to beat this guy,” Nurmagomedov said. “That’s why I’m here.”

[vertical-gallery id=497274]

After Tony Ferguson’s ‘f**k you’ reaction, MMA reporter explains bringing up mental health

When Cageside Press reporter Rodney James received a “F**k you” from the former interim champion at the UFC 249 press conference on Friday, he was a bit taken aback.

LAS VEGAS – When Cageside Press reporter Rodney James received a “f**k you” from [autotag]Tony Ferguson[/autotag] at the UFC 249 press conference Friday, he was taken aback – especially considering a conversation the two had last summer.

According to James, a former fighter and military veteran, he’d met Ferguson on multiple occasions. The two had been on good terms, particularly when James met Ferguson around the time of the World MMA Awards in Las Vegas last July.

In one specific conversation, James said he commended Ferguson on his achievements as a high-level professional athlete with a recent history of mental health struggles stemming from a series of domestic disputes.

“I said, ‘Look, man. I know you’ve gone through some struggles. I’ve got your back. I know what it’s like. Don’t ever feel like you’re alone in this fight.’ I kind of toed the line a little bit,” James told MMA Junkie on Friday. “… Right after I said that, he looked at me and said, ‘Man, I really appreciate that, brother. That means a lot.’ We shook hands and bro-hugged. Everything was all gravy.”

[jwplayer 16mTzHFl-RbnemIYZ]

As someone who openly struggles with mental health himself, James also has dealt with the issue in those around him. James’ jiu-jitsu coach, Robert Follis, committed suicide in December 2017. Tack that onto the high rate of suicide among fellow military veterans, and you get the inspiration behind his question, James said.

“One thing we train in the Army is, ‘If you see something, say something.’ If you know somebody is going through some problems, you’re better safe than sorry,” James said. “It’s better to have that difficult conversation and have that person get upset with you than it is to hear so-and-so committed suicide. I know a lot of soldiers who have committed suicide, unfortunately. The figure is like 22 per day. That was my intention, but it maybe wasn’t the best setting to do so (in). I took a bit of a gamble.”

At UFC on ESPN 4 last July in San Antonio, James said he asked Ben Rothwell a similar question. Like Friday, James did so with the hopes of receiving advice that could assist those struggling with mental health issues.

“The next thing I was going to say (to Tony) was, ‘If there’s anybody who looks up to you who struggles with similar issues, what advice would you give them? Because you seem to have really worked through a lot of that stuff here and now – and that shows a lot of courage. It shows you’ve done a lot of work on yourself.’ He didn’t let me get there,” James said.

[lawrence-related id=497147,497115]

While James doesn’t feel good about receiving a verbal lashing in front of a couple thousand fans in attendance at T-Mobile Arena, he also thinks it’d be hypocritical to be judge Ferguson. He sees both sides of the coin.

“Maybe he thought I was steering that conversation down a path he didn’t want to go, because he’s on fire with the hype (he had) on stage,” James said. “At the same time, I don’t want to say I forgive him. I would like him to apologize, and I hope he does. Maybe he doesn’t even care. I hope we get the opportunity to speak face to face. …

“That being said, I have empathy. I have empathy, and therefore I have a lot of family members who have mental health issues and have treated me really badly and been mean and nasty. As I’ve gotten older and wiser, I’ve been able to compartmentalize that and not take it personally. That’s the way that person felt, and it’s not up to us to tell a person or feel that they should react or feel a certain way.”

In the lead-up to his return fight against Donald Cerrone last June, Ferguson wasn’t interested in discussing his mental health. James said on Twitter that he wished he’d seen those interviews before Friday. In a later tweet, James admitted the setting might have been inappropriate for his question – but also stuck by thinking Ferguson’s response was out of line.

James tweeted, “Perhaps it WAS inappropriate given the circumstances but so was his response. We’re even”

[jwplayer O4ELvfpI-RbnemIYZ]

From ‘fake Mexican’ to street cred: Khabib, Tony Ferguson verbally spar at UFC 249 press conference

Khabib Nurmagomedov and Tony Ferguson made it very clear that they can’t wait to get their hands on each other.

LAS VEGAS – UFC lightweight champion [autotag]Khabib Nurmagomedov[/autotag] and [autotag]Tony Ferguson[/autotag] are beyond familiarizing themselves with one another.

Matched up four times before, the two men are preparing to finally meet next month at UFC 249. On Friday, Nurmagomedov (28-0 MMA, 12-0 UFC) and Ferguson (25-3 MMA, 15-1 UFC) traded barbs for the better half of a 25-minute news conference as they sat across from each other with only UFC president Dana White separating them.

The challenger came out high-energy from the start, sporting a pair of MMA gloves and carrying two baseballs. One of the baseballs was immediately chucked into the stands, while the other remained with him. Conversely, Nurmagomedov entered unassumingly and took a seat.

Almost immediately after the first question was asked, Ferguson pointed out his old interim UFC belt he brought to the stage. From there, Ferguson revealed he plans on sparring for the first time since early 2015. Ferguson then turned his attention to Nurmagomedov.

“Oh, wait. Hold on,” Ferguson said. “You like beating on high school wrestlers who are preparing for state the week (after)? And you like having homeless people do push-ups in New York and making fun of them. I owe you two to the stomach, and you owe me 20 push-ups, but I will do the push-ups with you when you lose.”

Nurmagomedov remained relatively calm for the duration but engaged in a few exchanges. As the news conference progressed, Nurmagomedov became more visibly invested in the back-and-forth.

“Who are you?” Nurmagomedov said. “You’ve fought a few American guys. You’ve never fought in the streets. I’m from (Russia). I can eat you. What are you talking about?”

[lawrence-related id=497254,497115]

All throughout the press conference, White wouldn’t dive deeply into questions that implied the four-times-scheduled bout would be canceled for any reason – whether it was Conor McGregor or the coronavirus.

In the final questions, the vitriol peaked. The argument restarted following almost every question – and the bickering elongated with each exchange. At one point, Ferguson told Nurmagomedov he’s learning from a Mexican (likely referencing his coach Javier Mendez). In response, Nurmagomedov called Ferguson a “fake Mexican,” which riled up the Mexican-American.

“You’re not from Mexico,” Nurmagomedov said. “You’re not a real Mexican. You’re a fake Mexican. First you say you’re American, now you’re talking about you being Mexican. Where are you from? Where are you from? You’re not real Mexican. No, no, no, buddy, you’re a California guy. You’re not Mexican. These two are different.”

The news conference ended with a mouthy faceoff. When Ferguson placed his belt on the ground in an effort to flex, Nurmagomedov punted it over. White and security stepped in and ensured the fighters got close – but not too close.

You can watch highlights of Nurmagomedov and Ferguson during the news conference in the video above.

UFC 249 takes place April 18 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN2 and ESPN+/UFC Fight Pass.

[vertical-gallery id=497274]

Tony Ferguson shuts down reporter’s mental health question with profane response

One reporter found out the hard way that Tony Ferguson means what he says when it comes to questions about mental health.

One reporter found out the hard way that [autotag]Tony Ferguson[/autotag] means what he says when it comes to questions about mental health.

On Friday during the UFC 249 press conference in Las Vegas, Cageside Press reporter Rodney James attempted to ask Ferguson about his past issues with mental health. James attempted to set up his question in a respectful, but before he could even ask it, Ferguson shut it down.

“You seem to be in really great spirits,” James said on the microphone. “I commend you for going head first into some mental health issues and working through that, especially a lot of people look up to you.”

That’s when the former UFC interim champion intervened.

[jwplayer 16mTzHFl-FLu19iir]

“(Expletive) you,” he said, to cheers from fans.

“I was giving you props,” James responded. “I was just wondering …”

“(Expletive) the advice, next question,” Ferguson interrupted.

“I wasn’t giving you advice, sir. Sorry.”

James then moved on to an unrelated question for UFC president Dana White. He later tweeted at Ferguson trying to smooth things over.

Ferguson’s battles with mental health first came to light in March 2019 after his wife filed a statement in support of a restraining order that indicated her husband was in the midst of a mental health crisis following multiple police visits to their Southern California home. Ferguson was never charged with a crime, though his family repeatedly expressed concern for his well being.

[lawrence-related id=497115,493333,491037]

The UFC required doctors to examine him before clearing him to return to the octagon, which happened last June at UFC 238 where he defeated Donald Cerrone by doctor stoppage TKO. Prior to the fight, MMA Junkie asked Ferguson about people trying to send him well wishes in the wake of the news, and he made it clear wasn’t appreciative.

“I tell them to (expletive) off,” Ferguson said. “Stop worrying about (expletive) you can’t handle, man. It’s not your (expletive) problem. You really want to (expletive) worry about how I am? Buy my (expletive) pay-per-view. Send me some money, send me whatever, I don’t give a (expletive). But quit asking dumbass questions. You want to keep asking me those questions, I’m going to say (expletive) you. Straight up.”

That’s exactly how things played out Friday.

Ferguson, who’s on a 12-fight winning streak, is set to return April 18 at UFC 249 where he’ll challenge undefeated champion Khabib Nurmagomedov for the lightweight title in Brooklyn, N.Y.

[vertical-gallery id=497274]