"He kind of fell off a cliff" - Daniel Cormier reveals the "most discouraging thing" about recently concluded UFC 279 main event between Tony Ferguson and Nate Diaz

With the unusual and bizarre events that took place leading up to UFC 279, Daniel Cormier took the time to share his views on a few things, with his biggest takeaway being Tony Ferguson and his undeniable decline in the sport.

The event on September 10 was filled with controversy and confusion before it even got underway, but the fights more than lived up to it. There were a handful of stellar performances at UFC 279, but arguably none were more impressive than Khamzat Chimaev's first-round domination over Kevin Holland.

While giving his immediate thoughts following the pay-per-view event, Daniel Cormier highlighted Ferguson's form inside the octagon, admitting that it's "sad" to see the former UFC interim lightweight champion's downfall.

"I think what the most discouraging thing about it honestly is Tony Ferguson's decline. It's sad, because for so long he was so good in a weight division where it was hard to become the champion, so he only held a portion of the belt by becoming interim champion. But Tony Ferguson at his peak was as good as anybody in the UFC, but his decline now has been very steep. It hasn't been gradual, it was very fast how he kind of fell off a cliff. I'm kind of interested to see what Tony Ferguson is going to do next."

Despite showing some good signs throughout the brawl, hurting Nate Diaz with vicious leg kicks on multiple occasions, a wounded and tired 'El Cucuy' shot a sloppy takedown attempt, getting himself locked up in a beautifully-timed guillotine choke.

As expected by most, the main event between the two legends of the sport was a strange but memorable encounter that showcased exactly what the UFC are missing out on with Nate Diaz's imminent hiatus from MMA.

Check out Daniel Cormier's reaction to what unfolded at UFC 279 in the video below:

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What's next for Tony Ferguson?

Although we saw glimpses of the older version of Tony Ferguson when he fought Nate Diaz, it looks as if his time facing elite competition has come to an end inside the cage. So what could be next for the veteran?

The 38-year-old reiterated his ambition to stay in the sport and ensured fans that he's not going anywhere, but to prolong his time fighting, he likely has to be matched up against similar athletes.

Whether his idea is to remain at welterweight or head back down to 155, Ferguson would most probably benefit in his career if he targets fighters in the later stages of their careers similar to himself.