Tony Ferguson losing 8 fights in a row in his UFC career might be one of the biggest falls from grace we’ve seen. This losing streak marks the longest in UFC history, tying with B.J. Penn for the second-longest winless run. Despite this, ‘El Cucuy,’ now 41, shows no signs of retiring from the Octagon. His grappling match against Dillon Danis, at GFL 2 on May 25, 2025, fell through because of investment issues, but he remains determined to fight.
Would that curb ‘El Cucuy’s fighting spirit? Not a chance! He later revealed that there were still plenty of fights on the table, including a potential boxing match with English influencer KSI. But Ferguson and, unfortunately, that fight also didn’t materialize. Even after the GFL event fell down, his interest in throwing hands with ‘El Jefe’ didn’t fade one bit.
Ferguson in an interview with MMA junkie said, “Absolutely for the GFL, the cool thing is that the sh—t falls through, but what you always do, you gotta stay ready. I’m in contact with the commission. I can’t say too much, but some things, but I know one thing, that I’m offered a lot of grappling matches, everybody wants to see me f–in compete…. 41 years old, but I feel like 20 20-something.”
That statement made one thing crystal clear—retirement isn’t even on Ferguson’s mind at 41. But ‘El Cucuy’s words didn’t go unnoticed. His potential opponent, Dillon Danis, had a chilling response. Taking to his Instagram story, Danis wrote, “I’m gonna be the one to retire @tonyfeguson next once and for all. No comebacks, no fairytale ending, just closing the curtain.”
MMA: UFC 279-Diaz vs Ferguson, Sep 10, 2022 Las Vegas, Nevada, USA Nate Diaz red gloves fights Tony Ferguson blue gloves during UFC 279 at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports, 10.09.2022 21:23:54, 19026573, T-Mobile Arena, NPStrans, Tony Ferguson, Nate Diaz, MMA PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xJoexCamporealex 19026573
It’s the kind of response you’d expect from ‘El Jefe’. And while Ferguson will always be a fan favorite, he’s never had a problem playing the villain. Both fighters seem more than ready to throw down, no matter the circumstance. But the event, venue, and actual fight still need to be locked in. Whether this clash stays in MMA or shifts to a boxing ring, and under which banner it all goes down, is something we’ll only find out in the foreseeable future.
Tony Ferguson vs. Dillon Danis will definitely catch some eyes, if it ever actually happens. But let’s be real, the most likely outcome might just be another cancellation. Danis already has five called-off fights in his career. However, ‘El Cucuy’ didn’t stop there. He named another potential opponent, and that matchup would be nothing short of a spectacle.
Tony Ferguson name-drops Justin Gaethje for his potential UFC comeback
MMA fans saw Tony Ferguson tear through the lightweight division from 2011 to 2019 like an absolute wrecking ball. During that stretch, he was a nightmare for anyone standing across from him. For a while, people genuinely believed he was the guy to defeat Khabib Nurmagomedov. But everything changed at UFC 249, when Justin Gaethje walked in with that trademark chaos, and after five grueling rounds, he snapped Ferguson’s 12-fight win streak with a brutal standing TKO.
Even after 5 years of that barn-burner, Tony Ferguson won’t mind running that back, while keeping Conor McGregor and Khabib on top of his list. He told the Schmo, “Oh son of a b—-, you named them both. Yeah, of course it would be a combination plate of McNuggets and Tiramisu, it really would. But, if I could go back and fight another time, it would be Gaethje and I would actually give a s— and go back and fight that one.”
That fight really felt like the beginning of the end for ‘El Cucuy’. Still, if you’re a true fan of the sport, you probably wouldn’t mind seeing that matchup one more time—even if Ferguson’s now 41 and long past his prime. And let’s not forget, Justin Gaethje himself has hinted that retirement might not be too far off. So yeah, somewhere down the line, that rematch isn’t entirely out of the question.
As of May 2025, Islam Makhachev claims the UFC Lightweight Championship. Makhachev defended his title against Renato Moicano at UFC 311 in April 2025. Ilia Topuria stands out in the lightweight division after moving up from featherweight. He is set to challenge Charles Oliveira for the title at UFC 317 in June 2025. The lightweight division remains fiercely competitive in the UFC.
That said, it’s honestly refreshing to see a veteran like Tony still holding on to his love for the game. But it does make you wonder: How many fights does he have left in him? Will he stick with MMA, or maybe test the waters in something wild like Bare Knuckle? Guess we’ll just have to wait and see. Drop your thoughts in the comments.
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