Former interim UFC lightweight champion Tony Ferguson, despite facing potential legal issues from a DUI incident and a five-fight losing streak, maintained confident about his upcoming UFC 291 match with Bobby Green and claimed he is still in his prime, while also expressing desire for fights with fighters such as Khabib Nurmagomedov.
Media interactions with UFC’s former interim lightweight champion, Tony Ferguson, are not often ordinary. In preparation for his UFC 291 face-off with Bobby Green, Ferguson captivated attendees during a media day. The highlights included him brandishing a knife to demonstrate his wilderness skills, which he honed while training in Big Bear, California. Making an impression even before the fight, he made headlines over a DUI incident in Hollywood, which resulted in a truck flip. Talking about this, he warned of upcoming lawsuits, while shifting attention to media-related issues and a bear he had pursued.
Despite returning to the octagon after five successive losses, a point usually seen as the final straw for struggling fighters, UFC enthusiasts still stand by Ferguson. To give his fans something back, he asked to battle Green, a seasoned pro known for his exceptional boxing skills in UFC. They initially interacted cordially, up until an exchange of texts on Father’s Day. Ferguson narrated this event and the intense reaction following from Green, who went quiet during a recent lobby encounter. Following this event, he stated Green looked scared upon seeing him.
For Tony Ferguson, the main goal is victory, whether or not he gets another chance or even continues to want it. His unfamiliarity with losing, two-decade-long sports career, and recent 12-fight win streak showed his resilience. He later mentioned letting go of some coaches due to their toxic influence. Outside the octagon, Ferguson is fostering interests in other areas such as enrolling at Harvard Business School, guiding emerging fighters, and his roles as a husband and father.
In the aftermath of his UFC 291 showdown with Green, Ferguson is also keeping a keen eye on his lightweight rivals. He commented on the upcoming fight between his ex-management colleague, Conor McGregor, and Michael Chandler. Also, he conveyed his desires for Nate Diaz, Jake Paul, along with UFC 291 headliners Justin Gaethje and Dustin Poirier. While he may never get the chance to fight Khabib Nurmagomedov, a contest scrapped on five separate instances, his current battle is remaining on the active UFC roster. According to Ferguson, he feels he’s just hitting his prime and describes his current status in absolute terms, “I’m as sharp as I look.”