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Tony Ferguson is amongst the most beloved fighters in the sport. The 38-year-old suffered yet another loss this past weekend against Michael Chandler. After succumbing to a brutal front kick knockout, he's proven that MMA can be as heartbreaking as it is exciting.
UFC 274 marked the fourth consecutive loss for 'El Cucuy'. In these defeats, he's been utterly dominated or finished. However, he had some success against Michael Chandler. He even scored a knockdown and won the first round on all three judges' scorecards.
The defeat was hard to watch for many, as Ferguson fans were ubiquitous at the Footprint Center in Phoenix, Arizona. Though things haven't been going his way lately, Ferguson still seems to have some fight left in him.
Here are five potential opponents for Tony Ferguson after his latest setback at UFC 274.
#5. Tony Ferguson vs. Renato Moicano
Renato Moicano is arguably one of the most exciting lightweights in the world right now. An impressive submission victory over Alexander Hernandez saw the Brazilian looking his best.
His next bout was a short notice fight against former lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos. Though he showed championship-level heart, he was decisively beaten in a five-round co-main event.
The 38-year-old is on a four-fight skid and was finished in two of these performances, but that doesn't exactly mean that he's done. All four of the fighters who defeated him have proved themselves to be at the top of the division. A step down in the rankings is the best bet for 'El Cucuy' to gain some traction again and work his way back up.
Opposite Tony Ferguson, 'Moicano' deserves a step up. Taking on dos Anjos on short notice was quite the favor for the UFC - the promotion should gift him back. 'El Cucuy' and 'Moicano' would be a rather exciting matchup for both fighters and the fans.
#4. Tony Ferguson vs. Brad Riddell
Brad 'Quake' Riddell is quite the test for anyone in the lightweight division. His striking is amongst the best in the division, and he's only getting better. He is, however, coming off a loss.
Riddell's loss to Rafael Fiziev almost felt like a fight to determine who the best striker at 155lbs is. The fight tilted in favor of Fizeiv, and he scored a third-round finish, marking the first time the 30-year-old has ever been knocked out in MMA.
'El Cucuy' is on a slump, but he's been fighting the best in the division. 'Quake' sits just five spots lower than Ferguson in the rankings and is no tune-up fight. Both fighters are looking to swing back into the win column and climb the ranks, making this an interesting match that could potentially be next for Tony Ferguson. That said, it could be a tough outing for the veteran.
#3. Tony Ferguson vs. Diego Ferreira
Similar to Ferguson is Diego Ferreira. Both had rather impressive winning streaks, but they've struggled to revert to their winning ways since the streak has been snapped. The Brazilian compiled six consecutive wins, most notably submitting former lightweight champion Anthony Pettis. A split decision loss in the rematch against Beneil Dariush began what is now a three-fight losing streak.
While Ferreira's skid is on a lower scale in the division, this could be the step down in competition that Tony Ferguson needs to kickstart some momentum in an already illustrious career.
Moreover, this fight has all the makings of an incredible display of martial arts. Both are incredible grapplers that are always threatening, regardless of where the fight takes place. A combined thirty finishes between two fighters with nothing to lose should make for an instant classic.
#2. Tony Ferguson vs. Bobby Green
Bobby Green has really come into his own in the latter portion of his career. Things were relatively bumpy for a while, but age and activity have treated the 35-year-old well. A 2020 bout against Clay Guida marked the first winning streak for 'King' since 2014, and although he's 5-3 since this streak began, he's looked phenomenal in most of these fights.
Most recently, Green took a short notice bout against the highly-touted Islam Makhachev. Though the effort was valiant, it only took one round for Green to get out-wrestled and become unable to defend himself intelligently.
There's no shame in losing to Makhachev, let alone after taking the fight on ten days' notice. The UFC should keep in mind the momentum he had prior to this loss. Enter Tony Ferguson -- he's a big name that just hasn't found his way to victory lately. Green deserves this fight, Tony Ferguson could use it, and the fans would absolutely love it.
#1. Tony Ferguson vs. Dan Hooker
Two of the biggest fan favorites that followers hate to see lose are Dan Hooker and Tony Ferguson. They've both gained the love of the audience with their personalities and incredible fighting abilities. Though it'll be hard to watch either fighter take another loss, especially at the expense of another, this bout makes quite a bit of sense.
Both 'El Cucuy' and 'The Hangman' are in a rough patch of their careers. Losses have been frequent, but only against top fighters. Tony Ferguson is on a four-fight skid, and Dan Hooker is 1-4 in his last five, most recently losing his return to featherweight at the hands of rising star Arnold Allen. 'The Hangman' is expected to return to lightweight for his next fight.
This would be a fight that fans would love and hate to see. Both Hooker and Ferguson are as exciting as it gets and want to prove that they aren't on their way out of the sport just yet.
