- Khabib Nurmagomedov wants only the best for aging UFC legend Tony Ferguson following his loss to Michael Chiesa
- “El Cucuy” vows to fight outside the UFC if the promotion parts ways with him
Khabib Nurmagomedov wouldn’t be shocked to see Tony Ferguson retire but “El Cucuy” has other things in mind if the UFC decides to cut him following his UFC Abu Dhabi loss to Michael Chiesa.
Tony could call it a career
Speaking to UFC Europe, “The Eagle” was asked to comment about Ferguson’s submission loss to Chiesa at UFC Abu Dhabi. For Nurmagomedov, there’s nothing unexpected about it as “El Cucuy” has already approached the twilight of his career and should be retiring.
“It’s no surprise for me because he’s forty years old. I just want to wish him all the best. He’s truly one of the best in the UFC. I just wanna wish him all the best and his life just beginning. Because he’s just forty years old. Just finished him MMA career. Now he gonna live a different life, much better life,” Nurmagomedov said of Ferguson.
Khabib Nurmagomedov shows respect to Tony Ferguson ❤️🙏
“I just want to wish him all the best. His life is just beginning.”
🎥 @UFCEurope #UFC #MMA #UFCAbuDhabi pic.twitter.com/dWqzK9XwrF
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) August 3, 2024
Tony says no
The defeat to Chiesa marked the eighth consecutive loss of Ferguson which is a UFC record. That said, the narrative states that the UFC might prompt “El Cucuy” to call is quits already and release him if necessary.
Despite the odds against him, Ferguson refused to be put down by the negativity. In fact, he already plans to do “something else” should the promotion decides to cut him following UFC Abu Dhabi.
“I talk to my homeboy Lloyd right there and what we do is we go get do something else… “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**king-tee you they’re gonna follow me somewhere. And that’s the humblest thing I could f**king say because no matter where I’m at, nowhere what I’m doing, I’m gonna get better, and better, and better,” Ferguson told the media in his post-fight presser.
Tony Ferguson says if Dana White decides that tonight was his last fight in the UFC, he would consider fighting somewhere else:
"If those fans out there are willing enough to come out here… I guarantee you they're going to follow me somewhere…
I'm gonna get better, and… pic.twitter.com/kbtiWEuP8r
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) August 3, 2024
Many aging UFC legends have already transitioned to boxing or bare-knuckle fighting and it appears that Ferguson could be considering doing the same thing at this point.
