“When Khabib left, a part of me left with that. Because that kind of sucked a little bit because we always had the hype that was built around that. When that disappeared, the pandemic came and the team left and there was nothing left for me kind of.” Tony Ferguson revealed a significant aspect of his journey in an interview with Ariel Helwani ahead of his UFC 296 bout against Paddy Pimblett. The unfulfilled aspirations to fight for the undisputed 155lbs title in what turned into a matchmaking nightmare had taken a toll on his well-being. Moreover, some believe it still might be an issue now after he has moved on from UFC.
Throughout Ferguson’s career in the UFC, there were signs that he might have been dealing with mental health challenges, even if he never directly addressed them. Famously, the situation with his wife, Christina Johnson, filing a temporary restraining order indicated that he was going through something. Khabib Nurmagomedov, who was the fighter everyone he had his eyes on, even expressed a desire to support Ferguson’s mental well-being during a Dominance MMA meeting in 2020, stating, “If he need help, we have to help him.” And also, another incident when reporter Rodney James questioned him during the UFC 249 press conference and Ferguson completely brushed it off.
It’s no secret that Ferguson has struggled in recent years, dropping eight consecutive fights in the UFC. Many fans and analysts point to age as the primary factor, arguing that the version of Ferguson who faced Paddy Pimblett, Michael Chiesa, and Bobby Green was a shadow of his former ‘Boogeyman’ self who once clinched the interim 155lbs title after winning 12 in a row. And Team Khabib’s longtime coach, Javier Mendez also sees things the same way. In his view, Ferguson’s decline isn’t purely physical — it’s also deeply mental. The AKA head honcho believes there’s more at play than just wear and tear, suggesting that Ferguson may no longer be the same mentally as he prepares for his next challenge: a highly anticipated bout against Dillon Danis at GFL 2.
Mendes, on his Javier and Mo Show, said, “I think in Tony’s case, it’s both, the mental and the physical. Because he was trying to find himself. He was out to do with Scoggins [David Goggins] right, the physical guru guy. He was searching, So, it was always in him, you know. He was searching for the right answer. To go and search it from the guy that a motivational speaker what does that tell you? That tells you, it wasn’t physical for him. It was mental because that guy was a mental guy.”
The AKA coach added, “He does the physical things, does the crazy things. So, it wasn’t that Tony’s body was just beat, he needed something mental and I don’t know if that was a right fit or not. I have no idea, but he went on a 7 fight-losing streak, right? And it got worse and worse every time. So, now it’s like I don’t know if there’s anything left in him. Who knows? It’s hard to say. It’s not the same.”
MMA: UFC 229-Ferguson vs Pettis, Oct 6, 2018, Las Vegas, NV, USA Tony Ferguson red gloves celebrates after beating Anthony Pettis blue gloves during UFC 229 at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports, 06.10.2018 21:12:14, 11393720, NPStrans, T-Mobile Arena, Anthony Pettis, Tony Ferguson, wow, MMA, TopPic PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xStephenxR.xSylvaniex 11393720
Ferguson’s exit from the UFC was not just emotional for him, it was also upsetting for the fans as well. From winning ‘The Ultimate Fighter’ to being on a 12-fight winning streak, the man has blessed us with some of the most grueling fights in lightweight history. Now, he is all set to face Conor McGrgor’s teammate Dillon Danis at GFL 2, let’s see how he is taking this fight!
Tony Ferguson reveals turning down KSI to fight Dillon Danis at GFL 2
Tony Ferguson may have officially retired from the UFC, but stepping away from martial arts competition is the last thing on his mind. The new MMA promotion GFL is up for an exciting start with two thrilling cards on May 24 and 25. If you’re a fan of ‘El Cucuy,’ you definitely won’t want to miss this chance to see him back in action on May 25th.
Before this announcement, ‘El Cucuy’ had been contemplating a boxing match with British influencer KSI. However, he decided to focus on reclaiming his MMA mojo back, with plans to take on Danis first. After that, who knows? He might even bring back his fan-favorite ‘Tiramisu Tuesdays’ wearing boxing gloves.
The former interim champ revealed to Ariel Helwani on his YouTube channel, “I was offered a boxing match against KSI. We were in heavy negotiations which was awesome. I was ready to take the fight! I was ready to f—–g go! They had me to go to a press conference a week after. I was already down. Then, I started thinking, let’s talk to my team, so I started talking to my team and my father. We were like hey, let’s get things going then we can worry about boxing later.”
What do you think about Tony Ferguson’s mental health? Please comment on your thoughts.
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