May 4, 2020
Ferguson ready to do damage in UFC 249 main event
Tony Ferguson is ready for his May 9 UFC 249 main event bout against Justin Gaethje for the interim lightweight title. He’s actually been ready since April 18, the original date of the card, when he cut down to the 155-pound championship weight even though the bout had already been cancelled
Tony Ferguson is ready for his May 9 UFC 249 main event bout against Justin Gaethje for the interim lightweight title. He’s actually been ready since April 18, the original date of the card, when he cut down to the 155-pound championship weight even though the bout had already been cancelled
Ferguson was originally supposed to face lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov in Brooklyn, before, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the opponent was changed to Gaethje for the interim belt in California.
When that also became untenable, Ferguson continued his training, which eventually led to his decision to make weight, even though the card had been indefinitely postponed.
Ferguson told TSN’s Aaron Bronsteter that he expects the best out of Saturday’s opponent, but he doesn’t really care who is across the Octagon from him - he’s going in there to fight his own type of fight.
“Justin Gaethje is not a button masher like Khabib; he’s going to go in there and actually have some technique, he’s going to have some conditioning. He’s training at a mile high over in Denver and he’s going to come in guns-a-blazing,” Ferguson told TSN. “We’ve been preparing for this since November, December, five to six months we’ve been waiting for this dude, but nothing has changed, but the name on the card. We never worry about what our opponents do, we go in there and do our damage, our style. I’m going to go in and tag this dude.”
Making weight for a fight that was not going to happen is one of many unusual things the 36-year-old has become known for, there are many videos of him engaging in outside the box training methods and techniques all over the internet. Ferguson warns to not be fooled by what you see, sometimes he has fun, but his training is usually very serious.
“It’s real work, it’s sparring without shin pads, it’s sparring with bare knuckles, That’s the type of (stuff) that nobody sees,” said Ferguson. “You can ask anybody that’s ever seen me train. That’s because I had my pops right? Anytime we had to get nitty and gritty and to get a job done, he could always count on me to be there. That’s why I count on myself. I have to count on myself like my pops was there, he’s had some addiction, too, and he taught me how to be a man. So for anything, it’s for me to show everyone how I was raised. I’m going to go in there and do my best and win or lose, I’m going to walk out of there like a man and a champ.”
While the pandemic has had an impact on fighters' abilities to train, Ferguson has continued to get ready at his own facility in California, one that he has built specifically to bring out the best in himself.
“It doesn’t matter what goes on in the world or what’s going on, as an athlete I stay focused on what I need to do,” said Ferguson. “Building my academy, I did it in Big Bear twice, I did it in my house and I have everything I need. I don’t over embellish any of the items that I have in there. You’ve got to go in there and put forth the work because there is not a machine that’s going to do that for you. I made it that way on purpose so that when you go in there it’s not even just using your brain, you have to have that motivation.”
Ferguson does not believe that his opponent’s style has evolved or changed over the years, but does hold the man he will face on Saturday in high regard.
“I’m going to be honest, I don’t see any difference with Gaethje, he’s a strong opponent, he’s a very strong-willed opponent,” said Ferguson. “I really don’t have anything bad to say about this dude. He’s a USA wrestler, he’s got a great camp over there, I have nothing but respect for them. He’s a tough-nosed opponent, but he’s got a tough fight ahead of him, I’m going to be real. I think we’re both prepared for this, we both signed on the dotted line and we’re making sure that the people are going to get what they want.”
While a shot at the undisputed lightweight title continues to evade Ferguson, this will be his second shot at the interim title. A lot of fighters are concerned about what their body of work says about their careers, but Ferguson does not have that in mind heading into UFC 249.
“It’s not securing any legacy, I don’t care about that,” said Ferguson. “The only thing I care about is putting food on the table and making sure that my family has a roof over their heads. Making sure I can take care of those that can’t really take care of themselves.”
Ferguson was originally supposed to face lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov in Brooklyn, before, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the opponent was changed to Gaethje for the interim belt in California.
When that also became untenable, Ferguson continued his training, which eventually led to his decision to make weight, even though the card had been indefinitely postponed.
Ferguson told TSN’s Aaron Bronsteter that he expects the best out of Saturday’s opponent, but he doesn’t really care who is across the Octagon from him - he’s going in there to fight his own type of fight.
“Justin Gaethje is not a button masher like Khabib; he’s going to go in there and actually have some technique, he’s going to have some conditioning. He’s training at a mile high over in Denver and he’s going to come in guns-a-blazing,” Ferguson told TSN. “We’ve been preparing for this since November, December, five to six months we’ve been waiting for this dude, but nothing has changed, but the name on the card. We never worry about what our opponents do, we go in there and do our damage, our style. I’m going to go in and tag this dude.”
Making weight for a fight that was not going to happen is one of many unusual things the 36-year-old has become known for, there are many videos of him engaging in outside the box training methods and techniques all over the internet. Ferguson warns to not be fooled by what you see, sometimes he has fun, but his training is usually very serious.
“It’s real work, it’s sparring without shin pads, it’s sparring with bare knuckles, That’s the type of (stuff) that nobody sees,” said Ferguson. “You can ask anybody that’s ever seen me train. That’s because I had my pops right? Anytime we had to get nitty and gritty and to get a job done, he could always count on me to be there. That’s why I count on myself. I have to count on myself like my pops was there, he’s had some addiction, too, and he taught me how to be a man. So for anything, it’s for me to show everyone how I was raised. I’m going to go in there and do my best and win or lose, I’m going to walk out of there like a man and a champ.”
While the pandemic has had an impact on fighters' abilities to train, Ferguson has continued to get ready at his own facility in California, one that he has built specifically to bring out the best in himself.
“It doesn’t matter what goes on in the world or what’s going on, as an athlete I stay focused on what I need to do,” said Ferguson. “Building my academy, I did it in Big Bear twice, I did it in my house and I have everything I need. I don’t over embellish any of the items that I have in there. You’ve got to go in there and put forth the work because there is not a machine that’s going to do that for you. I made it that way on purpose so that when you go in there it’s not even just using your brain, you have to have that motivation.”
Ferguson does not believe that his opponent’s style has evolved or changed over the years, but does hold the man he will face on Saturday in high regard.
“I’m going to be honest, I don’t see any difference with Gaethje, he’s a strong opponent, he’s a very strong-willed opponent,” said Ferguson. “I really don’t have anything bad to say about this dude. He’s a USA wrestler, he’s got a great camp over there, I have nothing but respect for them. He’s a tough-nosed opponent, but he’s got a tough fight ahead of him, I’m going to be real. I think we’re both prepared for this, we both signed on the dotted line and we’re making sure that the people are going to get what they want.”
While a shot at the undisputed lightweight title continues to evade Ferguson, this will be his second shot at the interim title. A lot of fighters are concerned about what their body of work says about their careers, but Ferguson does not have that in mind heading into UFC 249.
“It’s not securing any legacy, I don’t care about that,” said Ferguson. “The only thing I care about is putting food on the table and making sure that my family has a roof over their heads. Making sure I can take care of those that can’t really take care of themselves.”