Getty Tony Ferguson
During a recent interview, former UFC interim lightweight champion Tony Ferguson shared his interest in fighting his fellow ex-interim belt holder, Dustin Poirier.
“El Cucuy” suffered a tough loss to Michael Chander during UFC 274 earlier this month. Although Ferguson had a solid first round, hurting “Iron” and dropping him, Chandler landed a ruthless head kick and knocked out El Cucuy seconds into the second frame.
Ferguson is on an 0-4 skid, the worst of his professional MMA career. But, not to be deterred, Ferguson is still on the hunt for undisputed UFC gold. And the fighter told MMA Junkie that it “wouldn’t be bad” to get into a striking battle with “The Diamond” next.
“I would love to be able to fight Dustin Poirier,” Ferguson said. “Obviously he likes to go stand-up. A stand-up battle wouldn’t be bad.”
Poirier is ranked No. 2 in the lightweight division and a win over him would catapult Ferguson back to the top of the division. And in terms of when he’ll fight next, Ferguson will let the UFC know when he’s ready.
“When I’m ready to fight I will let the UFC know,” Fergusons continued. “I guarantee you they’ll let me know, too, ‘Hey, this is who we have.’
Ferguson Said He Feels ‘Reborn,” Is ‘Here to Take Over’
Ferguson also recently gave MMA Junkie his take on the Chandler KO. In short, it obviously wasn’t the outcome El Cucuy was hoping for. However, at 38 years old, he feels “reborn” and ready to “take over” the lightweight division.
“I got knocked the f*** out,” Ferguson said via the outlet. “I don’t want that s*** to ever happen again. It could’ve, one – been prevented – and two, I should’ve had him finished in the first round. As soon as I knocked him down. The little basics that I could’ve did to make sure I could’ve got out in the first round, and everybody would be kissing my a**. But God works in mysterious ways, and he’s not ready yet, son.
“He had me sit down and take a nap and rest for a second, because I work my a** off this camp with this humility that people want to present to me. I’m a new man. I don’t care. I’ve been to hell and back and I’m here now. Reborn again. And I’m here to take over.”
Ferguson Is Happy With How the First Round Went, Is ‘Flabbergasted’ With the Second Frame
Ferguson poured on the damage during the opening round against Chandler, hurting him on the feet while also landing solid shots from his back. El Cucuy is happy with his work in the first round but is “flabbergasted” with his choice to move backward during the second frame.
“There’s only so much humility a man can go through. I’ve been through it all, right? I’ve had my belt stripped – I don’t have to go back and refurbish all that stuff. But going back and looking at it, the first round I didn’t do too bad. I was having fun in there, I had a good fight week.
“I started loosening up in there more toward the fight, which was fun. It was really good to be back in there, I’ll be real. Except for the second round. The second round, I’m still kind of flabbergasted why I was backing up.”