Tony Ferguson has been surprisingly vocal following his brutal UFC 274 front kick knockout loss to Michael Chandler. “El Cucuy,” whether he is speaking out about his future fighting or calling out those who doubt him, doesn’t mince words.
Among the more odd interactions that the always-unique Ferguson has had in the wake of his defeat involved former UFC light heavyweight and heavyweight titlist, Daniel Cormier.
The former UFC interim lightweight champion took to Twitter with a clip of Cormier on the scales for his UFC 210 rematch with Anthony Johnson where there was a slight controversy that Cormier cheated his weight by putting his hands on the towel. Ferguson commented: “How Not to Make Weight Ladies & Gentlemen. Shoulda Stripped Em’ Like They Did @CharlesDoBronxs Shout Out To All Those Doin’ It Right & Keepin’ The Sport Clean.”
Cormier played a long briefly telling Ferguson to stop and that he was making him “sad.” Ultimately, the former Olympian believes the source of the matter boils down to him being close with Ferguson’s biggest career rival.
“What he’s talking about is ‘enjoy my retirement with Khabib [Nurmagomedov],'” Cormier said on DC & RC. “That is one of the biggest issues that I have had with Tony Ferguson. My relationship with Khabib is literally a love affair. I did an interview with him for my YouTube channel the other day and we’re talking off air and it was fine. We spoke about wrestling, our heroes, all these great things. He immediately mentions Khabib Nurmagomedov when the interview begins.
“As we’re going forward in the interview, I ask him a follow-up question on that. “Tony? Do you believe you need to live in the present?” I ask. Not worry about Khabib? That’s a confrontation you never got to have.’ He threatened to walk off the interview and now he comes at me. Bro, why are you so worried? Michael Chandler punched you in the face! There’s three things: ‘D.C.,’ ‘R.C.’ (Ryan Clark), and sometimes there’s an ‘M.C.’ Worry about ‘MC!’ Not me. I’m retired, I’m a heavyweight.”
The relationship between Cormier, Nurmagomedov is rooted in their training partnership at American Kickboxing Academy San Jose. Nurmagomedov retired with a perfect 29-0 record in Oct. 2020 immediately after a second-round triangle choke submission of Justin Gaethje. Nurmagomedov was the top-ranked lightweight in the world. Ferguson was booked for five fights with a different issue, usually an injury. In the wildest of all five instances, Ferguson tore his FCL on April Fool’s Day when tripping backstage on the set of a pre-fight media obligation.
After the initial reaction to Ferguson, Cormier was quickly met with an out-of-left-field accusation of cocaine use when the lightweight told him to “Lay Off The Yay Buddy [tissue emoji] Not A Good Look [eyeball emoji] You Make Yourself Look Sad. I’m already back to work [cross emoji] I don’t quit like you.”
“It’s like he has these issues with Khabib and because of these issues with Khabib, he continues to come at me which I don’t quite understand,” Cormier said. “When you lose in the way that he did, you gotta go away for a little bit, man. Like, take some time, recover, get your mind back in a place where you can compete effectively instead of trying to fight with the guy that commentates the fight. He attacked me, he attacked [Joe] Rogan, he attacked everybody but Jon Anik. This is quite strange because he refused to speak with Jon Anik once we met at a fighter meeting. The guy is just all over. This is crazy. Dude should take some time to rest, and then recover. Because this dude’s trippin’.
“When you start to accuse a guy of drug use, now you’re starting to play a different game because obviously we’re family men and I don’t do stuff like that and I’ve never done that. So it’s like hard for someone to say something like that to me.”
TOP STORIES
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Rebooked. Floyd Mayweather claims helipad boxing match in Dubai back on for this Saturday.
Reflection. Paul Daley regrets classic Nick Diaz fight, names matchups to bring him out of retirement.
VIDEO STEW
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UFC Connected.
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Party time with Aljamain Sterling and Kai Asakura in Las Vegas.
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LISTEN UP
Fighter vs. Writer. MMA Fighting’s Damon Martin chats with Beneil Dariush and Junior Dos Santos.
Heck of a Morning. MMA Fighting’s Mike Heck discusses whether or not Islam Makhachev should volunteer to face Dustin Poirier at UFC 277.
SOCIAL MEDIA BOUILLABAISSE
Paris?!
Alright so I guess since can’t find an opponent any earlier I’m fighting Whittaker in Paris.
You better show the fuck up this time.
Lets do it, I’ve been waiting for too long now— Marvin Vettori (@MarvinVettori) May 18, 2022
Rankings.
Here are the latest BELLATOR MMA rankings after London’s thrilling fight night
Next Stop: Mohegan Sun Arena on June 24 #Bellator282 pic.twitter.com/LPmwWPER4s
— Bellator Public Relations (@BellatorPR) May 17, 2022
Coach Villante.
Very excited to be the new Head Football coach @stdomsathletics Time to get to work. Great things ahead!!! pic.twitter.com/ZqXUbv08AV
— Gian Villante (@GPVillante) May 16, 2022
Back at it.
Dean Barry has his first fight booked since being released from the #UFC. Will compete at #TitanFC77 pic.twitter.com/LlqRLUXI1O
— MyMMANews (@MyMMANews) May 17, 2022
Thanks, Diana!
posting something just so you guys know I’m still alive pic.twitter.com/hduH4qxMIN
— Diana Belbita (@DianaBelbita) May 17, 2022
In case you missed it.
Henry Cejudo has been re-added to the USADA testing pool and has submitted two samples thus far in Q2 of 2022 according to the USADA Athlete Test History.
— Aaron Bronsteter (@aaronbronsteter) May 17, 2022
One of the most evil women on earth.
Tu Yao Ri niDa Xue Sheng noShi nobaitoXian deoHua tokekiwomoraimashita sugokuXi shiidesu!!arigatougozaimasu! pic.twitter.com/R0TZJexp2u
— Yi Ze Xing Hua (@starflower2525) May 17, 2022
Respect.
Win or lose, ALMOST a every fighter I’ve fought, I’ve left that cage with the utmost respect for that person. People I have fought are my best friends. This sport is beautiful in its violence but also beautiful in the bonds it forms. pic.twitter.com/H4ai35a25P
— Jillian DeCoursey (@lionheartjill) May 17, 2022
Good company!
Plot twist.
Tony I like the idea about TUF, call your bosses and let them make an offer, but if they don’t have ideas, I myself will offer you a deal on the @EagleFightClub platform, we doing some business here you know.
— khabib nurmagomedov (@TeamKhabib) May 17, 2022
A true man of the people.
This video brings me alot of joy pic.twitter.com/CHqA3OQr5b
— Jason Williams (@jasoneg33) May 17, 2022
Facts.
Facts https://t.co/A9bdtixssn
— GILBERT BURNS DURINHO (@GilbertDurinho) May 17, 2022
Coaching it.
— Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful.com (@SeanRossSapp) May 17, 2022
Sparring day.
Welp sparring went well ( Tyree I’m coming for you next time ) pic.twitter.com/OJo1JWm6be
— Laura Sanko (@laura_sanko) May 17, 2022
Beef.
At least we can compete, you got pulled from your last fight for banned substances!
— Tim Elliott (@TElliott125) May 17, 2022
I’ve been in the @ufc since before @usantidoping was even a thing there, you have 2 fights in and get pulled for a banned substances!! https://t.co/Qq1NpGPfV9
— Tim Elliott (@TElliott125) May 17, 2022
And you’ve been in the UFC all this time, and still a nobody. @busydee4 and @JeffNovitzkyUFC know all the details and I’ve been cleared by @usantidoping for a reason. Watch me June 11th smoke one more guy, and let’s see if you can get past @AmirAlbazi… you done https://t.co/cwAofw2D9l
— manerukeipu Manel Kape (@ManelKape) May 17, 2022
40!
Happy 40th Birthday to ‘The Outlaw’ @danhardymma
From wild haircuts to wild knockouts… the UK MMA scene would not be the same without this man pic.twitter.com/QKtOMaPKfn
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Conor is addicted to Twitter.
I feel like I could do you’s all in. Handy. Handy.
— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) May 17, 2022
And I’m chomping at the bit to see you different
— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) May 17, 2022
The Mac Daddy back in action.
— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) May 17, 2022
Sitting on a billion, plotting a killing.
— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) May 17, 2022
The date of my return is…
— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) May 17, 2022
Tick, tock, my left hand is a Glock.
— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) May 17, 2022
Hahahajaja construction pic.twitter.com/j4J2H0mLzh
— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) May 17, 2022
My next fight is…
— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) May 17, 2022
At the gym pic.twitter.com/PBvLT4TZT7
— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) May 17, 2022
Just kidding I well know who. When. What weight. Where. How it goes. Everything. I see dead people. https://t.co/CMtZ0EpOME
— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) May 17, 2022
Late night hustling. [****************************************************************************************************************************************************** ***************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************] May [******************************************************************************************************************************************** pic.twitter.com/jYOOZrd9Fs
— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) May 17, 2022
Violence is the nature of man.
Rafael Fiziev in Muay Thai pic.twitter.com/lkQ6hovvSg
— Haymakers (@haymakerstv) May 17, 2022
Count Casey out.
I wanted to try with this season of the ultimate fighter but I’m done now. This 3rd fight is painful, the showboating was as bad as the tattoos.
— Casey Oneill (@kingcaseymma) May 18, 2022
Nice shot.
Los golpes de la vida nos ensenan mucho pic.twitter.com/2NdVtIuyVL
— Manuel torres (@LocoUFC) May 17, 2022
Art.
Ding ding we have a winner https://t.co/5PwxwHuD6v
— Jack ‘Tank’ Shore (@jackshoremma) May 17, 2022
Return to the Luke.
Move Like Cruz.
FIGHT ANNOUNCEMENTS
Alex “Cowboy” Oliveira (22-12-1) vs. Michel “Sassarito” Silva (22-10-1); BF Mr. Cage, June 10
Cody Brundage (7-2) vs. Tresean Gore (3-1); UFC Fight Night, July 9.
Devin Clark (13-6) vs. Azamat Murzakanov (11-0); UFC Fight Night, Aug. 13
Aspen Ladd (9-3) vs. Sara McMann (13-6); UFC Fight Night, Aug. 13
Trey Ogden (15-5) vs. Daniel Zellhuber (12-0); UFC Fight Night, Sept. 10
Georgi Karakhanyan (31-13-1) vs. Kane Mousah (13-4); Bellator Dublin, Sept. 23
FINAL THOUGHTS
For a good while, many believed Doo Ho Choi wore the crown of “most unassumingly dangerous human on the planet.” Has Seika Izawa since stolen that claim? Yes, I believe so. Thank you for reading.
EXIT POLL
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