Daniel Cormier doesn’t think Li Jingliang is a good matchup for Tony Ferguson at welterweight.
Daniel Cormier Picks Jingliang Over Ferguson
Ferguson hasn’t been having much luck at lightweight as of late, so he’s made the decision to jump up to welterweight.
“El Cucuy” is currently on a four-fight losing streak, not having picked up a victory since June of 2019.
Ferguson’s last outing resulted in him being knocked out unconscious for the first time in his career, as he was defeated by Michael Chandler with a hellacious front-kick to the face in the second round.
Now, he’ll jump up to welterweight to take on proven finisher and No. 14-ranked welterweight Li Jingliang. However, speaking on his “DC & RC” ESPN Show, UFC Hall Of Famer Daniel Cormier offered his thoughts on the situation.
Cormier noted that, if Ferguson is struggling with the power of opponents at 155 pounds, a move up in weight might not be the best move.
“I want to see something positive. I want to see something change – some changes that he has made since he has been to (Greg) Jackson’s gym, Jackson Wink down in Albuquerque, (N.M.),” Cormier said. (quotes via MMA Junkie)
“So I want to see something different. Here’s the issue for me: When you get knocked out at 155 by Michael Chandler, when you get TKO’d at 155 by Justin Gaethje, when you get dominated by Beneil (Dariush) and Charles Oliveira at 155, it would not seem like going up to welterweight would be the move.
“But if there is a guy that could let go of the past and everything that happened prior to go and try to make a statement, it is Tony Ferguson. But in Li Jingliang, this guy is tough.
“He hits hard, and this is a very difficult matchup in his first time fighting at welterweight in a long time.
“So while I’m looking for something positive, I don’t expect all that much as of right now. He’s going to have to show me something.”
Ferguson will be taking on quite a formidable opponent in Jingliang, who comes off a big second-round TKO win in July. He has won two of his last four bouts, and a potential win over Ferguson would arguably be the biggest of his career.
The pair will go head-to-head in the co-main event of UFC 279 on pay-per-view (PPV) from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada on September 10.
