Morning Report: Tony Ferguson open to opportunities outside of UFC: ‘I’m gonna get better’ (2024)

The Tony Ferguson song and dance doesn’t at all look like it will have a happy ending.

When Ferguson was booked to battle his fellow past winner of The Ultimate Fighter Michael Chiesa at UFC Abu Dhabi, it had MMA fans scratching their heads for several reasons. After seven consecutive losses, UFC CEO Dana White admitted he wanted to see the one-time interim lightweight champion call it a career with many in agreement. His return booking came as a surprise alone, but to have Nick Diaz initially on the card as well and not fight Ferguson was perplexing. If either had to fight anybody, pairing them together felt like the most, if not only, appropriate option.

After his performance against Chiesa this past Saturday, Ferguson (25-11) admitted it was a great fight week, but he did feel slow and sluggish in the octagon. Therefore, he lost by submission for the third time in four fights when Chiesa scored the first-round rear-naked choke. It was Ferguson’s first fight at welterweight since his fourth-round guillotine loss to Nate Diaz at UFC 279 in September 2022

“I felt sick,” Ferguson laughed in his UFC Abu Dhabi post-fight scrum (h/t The Mac Life). “I threw up probably like maybe three or four times being nervous as f*ck. I usually don’t get nervous but in the back, I was kind of yacking and dry-heaving, which was kind of funny how that works. This is the only sport that makes me do that. When it goes to any other thing, it’s kind of interesting how it goes. I think more than anything else because I want to perform to the best of my ability out here, and I really didn’t.

“There’s a lot of things, obviously, I need to work on but it’s all putting together. Obviously, getting in there and feeling more comfortable inside that octagon.”

Ferguson, 40, has been reluctant to retire throughout his record-setting streak of losses in UFC. Even after eight in a row, and being in better spirits likely thanks to a loss with no damage, Ferguson is noncommital on the idea. He’ll go back to his family, talk with his wife, and assess from there.

“I know when it will [be time],” Ferguson said. “There’s a lot of things that I can and can’t do. I just teamed back up with my boy Anthony Gonzalez from American Gym. I felt this whole entire camp I had just gotten back into sparring where it was me putting myself back into a team. You have no idea how hard that is for me to be able to do that.”

The change in preparation was something Ferguson was very proud of at this stage and in a general sense, he explained. “El Cucuy” has historically been pretty private with his inner circles and felt it “took balls” to admit help was needed by going back to having an “actual” team for a fight again.

Another fight feels inevitable for Ferguson. Ultimately, it’s just a matter of whether or not the UFC wants to hold onto the perennial fan-favorite until the wheels fall even farther off. However, Outside of MMA, Ferguson lightened up when pondering wrestling or grappling-type competitions.

“What we do is we go do something else,” Ferguson answered when asked if the UFC would let him go. “I’m gonna be real, if those fans out there are willing enough to come out here and fly and spend thousands of dollars to come watch me compete somewhere, I guaran-f*cking-tee you they’re gonna follow me somewhere. That’s the humblest thing I can f*cking say because no matter where I’m at, no matter what I’m doing, I’m gonna get better and better and better and better. I feel like these grey hairs right here with the blonde hair are kind of slowly fading away, too. So, I might have to do something different.”

Argument. Dana White responds to judge denying antitrust lawsuit settlement: ‘This seems very, very personal’

Plans. Sean O’Malley ‘might go whoop’ Umar Nurmagomedov next just to make Conor McGregor ‘jealous’

Critic. Umar Nurmagomedov ‘not happy’ with Cory Sandhagen win, reveals advice Khabib gave him

Rivals. Khabib Nurmagomedov reacts to Tony Ferguson possibly retiring after 8th straight UFC loss

Matchmaking. Jasmine Jasudavicius open to Erin Blanchfield fight next: ‘Why not? Her team already studied to fight me’

Aftermath. Andre Fili was ‘incredibly unhappy’ after his Cub Swanson win: ‘I felt ashamed’

UFC Abu Dhabi Post Show.

Full fights.

Poatan tats.

Burns’ Fight Camp.

Go to Twitter, use the #MorningReport hashtag, or find one of my tweets with it, and drop me a jam you’re currently really into. I’ll pick the best one alongside my daily choice and give you a shoutout! You can also share in the comments below — those are just harder to sift through sometimes!

Running to the next one.

Truth...

Team.

One more camp.

Representation.

Fisherman.

Sequence.

Wild.

Sheesh.

Double sheesh.

Triple sheesh.

Quadruple sheesh.

Reactions.

Kyle Nelson (16-5-1) vs. Steve Garcia (16-5); UFC Vegas 97, Sept. 7

Rob Font (20-8) vs. Kyler Phillips (12-2); UFC Vegas 99, Oct. 19

Geoff Neal (15-6) vs. Rafael Dos Anjos (32-16); UFC 308, Oct. 26

Robert Whittaker (26-7) vs. Khamzat Chimaev (13-0); UFC 308, Oct. 26

Magomed Ankalaev (19-1-1, 1 NC) vs. Aleksandar Rakic (14-4); UFC 308, Oct. 26

Ciryl Gane (12-2) vs. Alexander Volkov (38-10); UFC 308, Oct. 26

Ilia Topuria (15-0) vs. Max Holloway (26-7); UFC 308, Oct. 26

Marcos Rogério de Lima (22-9-1) vs. Kennedy Nzechukwu (12-5); UFC 308, Oct. 26

I respect Ferguson’s self-determination immensely. There’s got to be a realization at some point, though. Easier said than done, I suppose.

Also, UFC 308 is looking mighty sexy.

Thanks for reading!

Last Week’s Results:

Friday: 75% of 438 total votes answered “Michael Chiesa” when asked, “Who wins this weekend?” Chiesa defeated Tony Ferguson via first-round submission (rear-naked choke) at 3:44.

Thursday: 35% of 328 total votes answered “Cory Sandhagen and Deiveson Figueiredo” when asked, “Who wins this weekend?” Umar Nurmagomedov defeated Sandhagen via unanimous decision (50–45, 49–46, 49–46) in UFC Abu Dhabi’s main event. Figueiredo defeated Marlon “Chito” Vera via unanimous decision (29–28, 29–28, 30–27).

Wednesday: 57% of 565 total votes answered “No” when asked, “Will Israel Adesanya retire if he loses at UFC 305?”

Tuesday: 51% of 449 total votes answered “Sean O’Malley” when asked, “Who would win (regardless of weight class)?”

Monday: 71% of 275 total votes answered “No” when asked, “Will the UFC make an interim lightweight title if Islam Makhachev can’t defend before the end of 2024?”

Today’s exit poll:

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