Tag: Tony Ferguson

Belal Muhammad’s ‘leaked’ video of Tony Ferguson’s training camp will have you laughing so hard

It’s the perfect parody of Tony Ferguson’s unconventional training methods.

As we pointed out already, [autotag]Tony Ferguson[/autotag] is preparing for his huge UFC 249 title fight against Khabib Nurmagomedov like only Tony Ferguson can – with, how do we put this … unconventional methods of training.

Hell, let’s just got call it what it is: What Ferguson does in the gym is bonkers. But that’s what we love about him. There’s nobody like the former UFC interim lightweight champ. “El Cucuy” can’t be imitated when it comes to how he puts in work. “Champ sh*t only,” as like likes to call it.

That being said, you will laugh so hard at UFC welterweight [autotag]Belal Muhammad[/autotag]’s “leaked” video of Ferguson’s training camp. I dare you to keep a straight face while watching this (you can’t):

The elbows during the bench press, the “McNuggets” blurt before striking the squat machine, the break-dancing moves, the “normal” tire flips … it’s the perfect parody.

Take a bow, Belal Muhammad. I’m in tears over here.

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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Tony Ferguson shares videos of unconventional UFC 249 training regimen

You can accurately describe UFC 249 headliner Tony Ferguson in a lot of ways, but “conventional” isn’t one.

You can accurately describe UFC 249 headliner [autotag]Tony Ferguson[/autotag] in many ways, but “conventional” isn’t one of them.

Known for his out-of-the-box training methods inside the gym, Ferguson (25-3 MMA, 15-1 UFC) is preparing for his UFC 249 clash with Khabib Nurmagomedov (28-0 MMA, 13-0 UFC) in the sort of manner we’ve come to expect.

Over the past several days, Ferguson has posted a handful of training videos on Instagram. Among the videos, “El Cucuy” throws a baseball, slides around on a heavy bag, and dances in a compression therapy suit.

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

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Ahead of his long-awaited UFC return, check out Ferguson’s training videos below:

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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20 fights on our MMA wishlist for 2020

Here are 20 fights MMA Junkie hopes to see happen in 2020.

With a new year comes new things, including good ol’-fashioned fist fights. What kinds of matchups are we hoping to see in 2020? What kinds of bookings do we want the MMA gods to bless us with? 

Here’s a list of some ideas and why they may (or may not) make sense:

Dillon Danis

20. [autotag]A.J. Agazarm[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Dillon Danis[/autotag]

This list is being kicked off by “El Jefe” himself. I know this will automatically trigger the Twitter trolls, but hear me out. Danis and Agazarm easily are two of the best grapplers Bellator has in its lighter weight classes. The two have competed against each other plenty of times in the grappling world and they don’t have a lot of love for each other. Their name value doesn’t match their experience level in MMA, so they both often have fights against unknown opponents, which makes their fights hard to promote.

So why not pit them against each other? It makes sense for both fighters skill-level wise, it could be a fun buildup, and we could certainly see some fun, world-class jiu-jitsu.

Bryce Mitchell

19. [autotag]Kron Gracie[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Bryce Mitchell[/autotag]

Let’s keep the jiu-jitsu train rolling. Gracie is jiu-jitsu royalty and Mitchell scored a cool-looking submission in his most recent fight – a twister. The UFC certainly is not shy about throwing Gracie against someone with far more experience (cough, cough – Cub Swanson). I know Mitchell is a bit more experienced than Gracie, but not by a crazy margin. Both guys need fights and have interesting and opposing personalities. Why not?

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Top 10 MMA fighters of the 2010s: Discussion video, facts about our list

How did we reach our overall list, and did we get it right?

In pitching the MMA Junkie staff on coming up with a composite ranking of the top 10 fighters of the 2010s, I had people asking me about the criteria. My answer was simple: There is no criteria. Whatever you think it means to be among the 10 greatest fighters of the last decade, that’s the criteria.

To me, it’s better this way. I could’ve emphasized in-cage results, in which case No. 1 ends up being [autotag]Khabib Nurmagomedov[/autotag] without question. Same for emphasizing impact on the sport: [autotag]Conor McGregor[/autotag] comes out on top easily. But what fun would that have been? There’s so much more to consider when trying to pick the top 10 fighters of the last 10 years among a pool of talent that never has been better.

The beauty of our list is that all 14 MMA Junkie staff members, who’ve spent so many years covering the sport, submitted individual top 10 lists. No discussion, no debate, no one person’s bias determined our final rankings. We all had a say in this. From there, it was a matter of mathematics – add up points for each fighter ranked and divide by 14 to determine the final rankings.

Did we get it right? There’s no such thing with these lists. But I’d like to think ours is as official as it gets.

For reaction to our top 10, watch the roundtable discussion video above with MMA Junkie’s John Morgan and Dan Tom, and MMA Junkie Radio’s “Gorgeous” George and “Goze.”

Below is a ranking of all 26 fighters included, as well as notes about our list.

COMPLETE RANKINGS

1. [autotag]Jon Jones[/autotag]
2. [autotag]Demetrious Johnson[/autotag]
3. [autotag]Daniel Cormier[/autotag]
4. [autotag]Georges St. Pierre[/autotag]
5. Conor McGregor
6. [autotag]Amanda Nunes[/autotag]
7. [autotag]Ronda Rousey[/autotag]
8. Khabib Nurmagomedov
9. [autotag]Jose Aldo[/autotag]
10. [autotag]Max Holloway[/autotag]
11. [autotag]Anderson Silva[/autotag]
12. [autotag]Cris Cyborg[/autotag]
13. [autotag]Stipe Miocic[/autotag]
14. [autotag]Henry Cejudo[/autotag]
15. [autotag]Tony Ferguson[/autotag]
16. [autotag]Cain Velasquez[/autotag]
17. [autotag]Donald Cerrone[/autotag]
18. [autotag]Dominick Cruz[/autotag]
19-t. [autotag]Joanna Jedrzejczyk[/autotag]
19-t. [autotag]Patricio Freire[/autotag]
21. [autotag]Frankie Edgar[/autotag]
22-t. [autotag]Ryan Bader[/autotag]
22-t. [autotag]Michael Bisping[/autotag]
24. [autotag]Douglas Lima[/autotag]
25. [autotag]Carlos Condit[/autotag]
26. [autotag]Eddie Alvarez[/autotag]

NOTES

  • 26 different fighters were included in at least one staff member’s top 10
  • 8 different fighters were included in only one ranking
  • Individual No. 1 rankings: Jon Jones (7), Demetrious Johnson (3), Georges St-Pierre (2), Daniel Cormier (1), Ronda Rousey (1)
  • Cormier was the only fighter to be included in each of the 14 rankings.
  • Jones and Conor McGregor each were excluded from one staff member’s list.
  • Of 8 fighters included in only one ranking, Cain Velasquez was highest (No. 3); Eddie Alvarez was lowest (No. 10).

INDIVIDUAL RANKINGS

Mike Bohn, senior reporter
1. Jon Jones
2. Georges St-Pierre
3. Jose Aldo
4. Demetrious Johnson
5. Anderson Silva
6. Conor McGregor
7. Max Holloway
8. Tony Ferguson
9. Khabib Nurmagomedov
10. Daniel Cormier

Dave Doyle, senior editor
1. Demetrious Johnson
2. Daniel Cormier
3, Jon Jones
4. Anderson Silva
5. Georges St-Pierre
6. Cris Cyborg
7. Jose Aldo
8. Khabib Nurmagomedov
9. Conor McGregor
10. Eddie Alvarez

Matt Erickson, assistant managing editor
1. Daniel Cormier
2. Demetrious Johnson
3. Amanda Nunes
4. Conor McGregor
5. Max Holloway
6. Patricio Freire
7. Ronda Rousey
8. Georges St-Pierre
9. Ryan Bader
10. Jose Aldo

Brian Garcia, MMA Junkie Radio host
1. Georges St-Pierre
2. Jon Jones
3. Daniel Cormier
4. Henry Cejudo
5. Demetrious Johnson
6. Khabib Nurmagomedov
7. Stipe Miocic
8. Amanda Nunes
9. Max Holloway
10. Ryan Bader

George Garcia, MMA Junkie Radio host
1. Jon Jones
2. Georges St-Pierre
3. Daniel Cormier
4. Khabib Nurmagomedov
5. Demetrious Johnson
6. Amanda Nunes
7. Cris Cyborg
8. Stipe Miocic
9. Conor McGregor
10. Henry Cejudo

Farah Hannoun, reporter
1. Jon Jones
2. Ronda Rousey
3. Conor McGregor
4. Demetrious Johnson
5. Khabib Nurmagomedov
6. Daniel Cormier
7. Amanda Nunes
8. Max Holloway
9. Stipe Miocic
10. Henry Cejudo

Ken Hathaway, senior video editor
1. Jon Jones
2. Amanda Nunes
3. Ronda Rousey
4. Max Holloway
5. Conor McGregor
6. Daniel Cormier
7. Georges St-Pierre
8. Anderson Silva
9. Khabib Nurmagomedov
10. Cris Cyborg

Simon Head, reporter
1. Demetrious Johnson
2. Daniel Cormier
3. Jon Jones
4. Amanda Nunes
5. Donald Cerrone
6. Georges St-Pierre
7. Conor McGregor
8. Douglas Lima
9. Cris Cyborg
10. Michael Bisping

Nolan King, reporter
1. Jon Jones
2. Daniel Cormier
3. Amanda Nunes
4. Demetrious Johnson
5. Max Holloway
6. Stipe Miocic
7. Georges St. Pierre
8. Jose Aldo
9. Conor McGregor
10. Khabib Nurmagomedov

John Morgan, lead staff reporter
1. Jon Jones
2. Conor McGregor
3. Ronda Rousey
4. Georges St-Pierre
5. Daniel Cormier
6. Demetrious Johnson
7. Amanda Nunes
8. Jose Aldo
9. Michael Bisping
10. Donald Cerrone

Simon Samano, managing editor
1. Demetrious Johnson
2. Georges St-Pierre
3. Jon Jones
4. Daniel Cormier
5. Khabib Nurmagomedov
6. Amanda Nunes
7. Tony Ferguson
8. Conor McGregor
9. Ronda Rousey
10. Max Holloway

Danny Segura, reporter
1. Ronda Rousey
2. Jon Jones
3. Cain Velasquez
4. Georges St-Pierre
5. Demetrious Johnson
6. Jose Aldo
7. Cris Cyborg
8. Conor McGregor
9. Khabib Nurmagomedov
10. Daniel Cormier

Abbey Subhan, video editor
1. Georges St-Pierre
2. Conor McGregor
3. Jon Jones
4. Daniel Cormier
5. Amanda Nunes
6. Joanna Jedrzejczyk
7. Frankie Edgar
8. Anderson Silva
9. Carlos Condit
10. Ronda Rousey

Dan Tom, fight analyst
1. Jon Jones
2. Jose Aldo
3. Khabib Nurmagomedov
4. Dominick Cruz
5. Demetrious Johnson
6. Conor McGregor
7. Ronda Rousey
8. Daniel Cormier
9. Max Holloway
10. Tony Ferguson

‘Whoever wins that fight is the best ever’: Chael Sonnen likes Tony Ferguson’s chances against Khabib Nurmagomedov at UFC 249

Chael Sonnen says he thinks Tony Ferguson could present Khabib Nurmagomedov his toughest test to date at UFC 249.

[autotag]Chael Sonnen[/autotag] thinks [autotag]Tony Ferguson[/autotag] could be [autotag]Khabib Nurmagomedov[/autotag]’s toughest test to date and says the winner could legitimately lay claim to being the greatest lightweight in UFC history.

Speaking to RT Sport, ESPN analyst Sonnen offered his take on the upcoming fight between UFC lightweight champion Nurmagomedov (28-0 MMA, 12-0 UFC) and former interim champion Ferguson (25-3 MMA, 15-1 UFC) at UFC 249 on Apr. 18.

“You know, it’s very hard to pick against Khabib with what you’ve seen and I must also share with you I have a bias towards Tony because we are former teammates,” said Sonnen, before revealing: “I do really like Tony’s chances going into this, and I like them more and more as the fight gets closer.”

Ferguson, like Nurmagomedov, is on a 12-fight win streak in the UFC. His wild and unpredictable style has led to 20 career finishes, including a hat-trick of finishes in his last three outings against Kevin Lee, former lightweight champ Anthony Pettis, and Donald Cerrone.

Undefeated Nurmagomedov has mauled everyone put in front of him, including back-to-back submissions over former two-division king Conor McGregor and former interim lightweight champion, Dustin Poirier.

And, considering both men’s resumes, Sonnen says the fight is particularly tricky to call.

“When you’re 28-0 in any division, man, you claim that division,” he said. “Particularly when you are the world champion and he already got some heavy lifting out of the way on the way to the title. If you go back and look at the names that he beat – 10-8 rounds against guys, two or three 10-8 rounds against (Edson) Barboza, just by example – this guy is a hammer. But you are talking about Tony Ferguson – that’s a whole other animal.”

“He’ll attack you from the back, he’ll attack you on the walkout, you don’t know what Tony Ferguson would do. I would never count him out. Whoever wins that fight is the best ever.”

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Khabib Nurmagomedov: I’m tougher and much better physically than Tony Ferguson

Khabib Nurmagomedov thinks he’s tougher and physically better than Tony Ferguson.

It seems [autotag]Khabib Nurmagomedov[/autotag] will look to test [autotag]Tony Ferguson[/autotag]’s durability in their upcoming clash.

Speaking to RT Sport, UFC lightweight champion Nurmagomedov (28-0 MMA, 12-0 UFC) gave himself the edge in numerous departments in his UFC 249 matchup vs. Ferguson (25-3 MMA, 15-1 UFC), which takes place April 18 in Brooklyn, N.Y..

“I always rate my chances higher than those of my opponents, since I can’t approach a fight with uncertainty,” Nurmagomedov said, as translated by RT Sport. “I think I’m a lot better than him at wrestling. I’m much better than him physically. I’m tougher than him, and I haven’t lost yet, unlike him.”

Showing plenty of improvements in his striking game, Nurmagomedov believes he can surprise Ferguson with his power, just like he did when he dropped Conor McGregor with a big overhand right in their UFC 229 contest.

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“Unlike him, I haven’t been knocked down yet,” Nurmagomedov said. “He has – I believe seven UFC knockdowns, a lot of falls from punches, so I can hit, and I’m going to hit him especially hard.”

Despite the advantages Nurmagomedov believes he holds, “The Eagle” said he is aware that on paper, Ferguson is perhaps his toughest test to date, which is why he has already started training camp, despite the fight still being four months away.

“I think it’s probably also right to note his strengths,” Nurmagomedov said. “He’s also on a good winning streak; he hasn’t lost since 2012. He’s a very good opponent. In the history of the UFC there’s never been a fight between two people with 12 wins in a row, so it’ll be a big historic event. As an opponent, I take him very seriously.”

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Khabib Nurmagomedov’s father on Tony Ferguson fight: Nothing like this in UFC history

“It’s the most important fight in UFC history.”

UFC lightweight champion [autotag]Khabib Nurmagomedov[/autotag] has been part of many big fights, but his father thinks none are bigger than his next one with Tony Ferguson.

Arguably the most anticipated fight in UFC history, Nurmagomedov (28-0 MMA, 12-0 UFC) is set once again to clash with Ferguson (25-3 MMA, 15-1 UFC) on April 18 at UFC 249. It’s a booking that’s been made four times before, with all four falling off for one reason or another.

Speaking to RT Sport, Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov, who also coaches Khabib, knows the importance of this marquee matchup to his son’s legacy.

“I think it’s one of the most important events in this sport,” Abdulmanap said, as translated by RT Sport. “It was planned four times and called off twice because of Khabib and twice because of Tony. Millions of fans are waiting for it. There’s never been anything like this in UFC history. It’s the most important fight in UFC history. It’s important not only for me but for my republic, my country, and all our supporters.”

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Since capturing the vacant 155-pound title at UFC 223 with a dominant win over Al Iaquinta, Khabib has defended his title twice, submitting former UFC double champ Conor McGregor and former interim lightweight champ Dustin Poirier. Khabib continues to show new wrinkles in his game, even surprising McGregor in their UFC 229 fight with a big overhand right that dropped him to the canvas.

“Throughout all this time, we were able to improve our skills in different aspects, especially striking technique,” Abdulmanap said. “We surprise (opponents) more and more each time. Javier (Mendez) promises to surprise this time, but Khabib won’t stray from his father’s plan.”

They’ll face a dangerous and streaking Ferguson, who’s on a 12-fight winning streak, with nine by way of finish. Abdulmanap knows this.

“First of all, he’s got good endurance, a good winning streak,” he said of Ferguson. “He’s been caught, but he finishes all his fights with submissions, cuts or technical knockouts. He has a good arsenal. He is a worthy opponent, and we are preparing accordingly.”

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Justin Gaethje gives thoughts on lightweight division, feels next in line for title shot

Justin Gaethje talks of missed opportunity with Conor McGregor, feels he is next in line for winner of upcoming lightweight title bout between Khabib Nurmagomedov and Tony Ferguson

Justin Gaethje talks of missed opportunity with Conor McGregor, feels he is next in line for winner of upcoming lightweight title bout between Khabib Nurmagomedov and Tony Ferguson

Off Guard: Ali Abdelaziz says getting Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Tony Ferguson done was easy for UFC 249

Ali Abdelaziz says it was an easy process to get the Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Tony Ferguson fight done for UFC 249 in Brooklyn in April.

The stakes may be a lot higher in the fifth attempt to book the [autotag]Khabib Nurmagomedov[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Tony Ferguson[/autotag] fight, but Ali Abdelaziz says the process was smooth sailing.

UFC lightweight champion Nurmagomedov (28-0 MMA, 12-0 UFC) will defend his title against Tony Ferguson (25-3 MMA, 15-1 UFC) at UFC 249 on April 18 in Brooklyn, N.Y., in a matchup that has been a long time coming.

“It’s easy,” Abdelaziz told MMA Junkie. “Khabib has a really good contract. His job is to defend his belt against the best of the best. I feel like Khabib, 28-0, undefeated, 12-0 in the UFC, Tony’s (won 12 in a row) – I believe Tony is the right guy. He deserves it. He earned it. He’s been asking for this ass whooping for a long time. They should have fought five times.

“It was March or April, that was the date, and we thought Brooklyn – it’s a good place to have the fight. The UFC was an easy process – no problem. We got it done. I know Tony had a little bit of a hiccup, but his team and him got it done, too. I think it’s all good. The fight is happening.”

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Nurmagomedov won the vacant 155-pound title at UFC 223 in Brooklyn when he beat Al Iaquinta by unanimous decision. He was initially scheduled to face Ferguson, but a freak accident forced Ferguson out the fight.

Both Nurmagomedov and Ferguson have been forced to pull out twice each in their four previously scheduled bouts. Abdelaziz thinks the long journey, and how far both fighters have come, is what makes this fight even bigger.

“You cannot find a better story, a better fight, better – just a pure martial art form of fight than this fight.”

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Tony Ferguson expects Conor McGregor, Donald Cerrone ‘to go in there guns blazing’ at UFC 246

Tony Ferguson has an interesting prediction for the UFC 246 headliner between Conor McGregor and Donald Cerrone.

Everyone has their opinion about who will win the UFC 246 headliner between [autotag]Conor McGregor[/autotag] and [autotag]Donald Cerrone[/autotag].

Perhaps owning an opinion worth a little bit more of your attention than the average Joe is UFC lightweight contender [autotag]Tony Ferguson[/autotag].

A former interim lightweight champion, Ferguson (25-3 MMA, 15-1 UFC) seemingly was in the running to fight McGregor (21-4 MMA, 9-2 UFC) next. Alas, the Irishman will face Cerrone (35-13 MMA, 22-10 UFC) next month at UFC 246.

When he joined “Ariel Helwani’s MMA Show” on Monday, Ferguson weighed in on how he sees the matchup playing out between his former divisional rivals.

“I have to say, if Cerrone kicks him in the chops, McGregor’s going to fall like a ton of bricks,” Ferguson said. “But like I always say, I’m going to go for the double knockout. I think they’re just going to go in there guns blazing. It’s going to be a good fight. I can’t wait to watch it.”

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Three months after McGregor and Cerrone settle business at welterweight, Ferguson will challenge lightweight Khabib Nurmagomedov for the title. The fight will headline a pay-per-view event expected to be UFC 249 on April 18 in New York.

UFC 246 will take place Jan. 18 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The card will stream on pay-per-view following prelims expected to on ESPN/ESPN+.

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