[autotag]Tony Ferguson[/autotag] has responded to his recent critics – including [autotag]Daniel Cormier[/autotag].
After Ferguson dropped his fifth straight bout in a submission loss to Nate Diaz in this past Saturday’s UFC 279 main event, many, including Cormier, who commentated at the fight, took aim at Ferguson for his recent decline.
As for Cormier’s regular recent criticism, Ferguson fired back and said he doesn’t understand why he’s constantly trying to bring him down.
“When I feel like I’m ready to retire, I will retire,” Ferguson told ESPN. “But right now it’s a little bit different, a little bit more interesting. DC and all these commentators that just keep repeating the same sh*t in the past couple of years – because that’s what they want me to do. They want the public eye to see me like that and they want to see me as a quitter and so on and so forth.
“I never cheated to get on the scales to retain my championship like DC – hashtag ‘towel gate,’ – these guys grabbing the towel, trying to lift some pounds off the scale. The UFC (was) right there – they went with it. It’s like an inside job. This guy wants to call it out, I’m going to call you right back out. You don’t have to be an asshole to the people who actually work hard. There’s a lot of up-and-coming fighters that see that sh*t and they’re going to try and go with the clique – and that’s it. So don’t start that sh*t. I’ve literally given my shirt off my back to the fans, and same thing with the UFC, and I’ll still take my shirt off to go inside that f*cking octagon and show that I’m the f*cking man. I’m still the f*cking champ.”
Former interim lightweight champion Ferguson (25-8 MMA, 15-6 UFC) was once on a 12-fight winning streak. Although he’s currently enduring a rough patch, “El Cucuy” insists he’s still making improvements and just sees losses as part of the game.
“Did you see Nate have to take breaks? Nothing against him, but I gave him his break,” Ferguson said. “It was a send-off fight. I’m not saying I took it easy on him and what we prepared for, but it’s a little bit more interesting when you’re preparing for a guy you really don’t know.
“The company is growing and I’m growing with the company, and to be able to help pave the way, kind of be right there with the promoters and try to get sh*t done, that’s mad sh*t, dude. I’ll continue to do that despite the commentators and the people (who criticize me). … A lot of other people, sometimes it’s just really real, and sometimes it’s just ignorant, and they don’t know any different because they didn’t grow up like you. (They’re) not into sports. It’s different. I’ve had gold medals and I’ve had bronze. None of them have been consecutive.”
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