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Tony Ferguson has long been considered one of the most dangerous and exciting fighters in MMA. He burst into the scene as the winner of the 13th season of 'The Ultimate Fighter'. He finished Ramsey Nijem via a first-round TKO in the season finale.
Ferguson went on to win his next two bouts before suffering his first loss in the promotion against Michael Johnson. 'El Cucuy' then went a spectacular 12-fight win streak which also paved the way for a title shot against Khabib Nurmagomedov.
While the fight never came to fruition, Tony Ferguson is unlikely to get another shot at the lightweight strap after his recent performances. Following his loss to Beneil Dariush at UFC 262, let's look at three reasons why it might be a wise decision for Ferguson to hang up his gloves for good.
#3 Tony Ferguson has been dominated in all of his recent matchups
During his 12-fight win streak, 'El Cucuy' dispatched of big names like Rafael dos Anjos, Donald Cerrone, Anthony Pettis, and Kevin Lee. However, memories of Tony Ferguson's dominance are a distant memory because of the three-fight skid he is on. Ferguson has struggled to land any legitimate offense on his opponents in his last few fights.
Ferguson's dominance to an end in May of 2020 when he was mauled by Justin Gaethje in the main event at UFC 249. He was given another opportunity at the end of the year to prove himself as a top contender against Charles Oliveira.
However, it was the Brazilan who stole the show against Ferguson. After being dominated by Dariush on Saturday, Tony Ferguson should definitely consider calling time on his MMA career.
#2 Age is no longer a friend to Tony Ferguson
At the age of 37, Tony Ferguson is definitely past his prime and it has consistently reflected in his performances inside the Octagon. Suffering an injury at this age will also make recovery extremely difficult for the former interim lightweight champion.
While signing Ferguson will be a tempting prospect for MMA promotions outside the UFC, retirement might be his best option.
#1 Tony Ferguson has taken a lot of damage over the years
Owing to his unorthodox fighting style, Tony Ferguson has sustained a lot of injuries throughout his career. While the bloodied-up 'El Cucuy' was fun to watch, the effects have started to show with time.
Apart from dropping his last three bouts, the former UFC interim lightweight champion has also taken serious damage. While Justin Gaethje busted his face up and Oliveira severely compromised his arm, Dariush seriously damaged Ferguson's leg at UFC 262.
After his loss to Gaethje, Ali Abdelaziz said of Tony Ferguson:
"He takes a lot of damage. This guy has a family. I don’t wanna see him drinking soup out of a straw. This is my opinion. If he was my guy, I’d be like, ‘Yo! You gotta retire.'"
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