Jake Matthews reveals how Tony Ferguson inspires him

During a recent interview, Jake Matthews revealed that although he doesn't refer to himself as a fan of other fighters, he does take a lot of inspiration from "nutbag" Tony Ferguson.

Incredibly, 'The Celtic Kid' has been in the UFC for over eight years now and has arguably still not touched his prime inside the cage as a 28-year-old. Last time out, the welterweight halted the hype surrounding Andre Fialho with a beautiful display of striking, showcasing his arsenal and eventually knocking the Portuguese fighter out.

While discussing his unique training videos, Jake Matthews insisted that he takes a lot from Tony Ferguson and believes himself to be a supporter of the 11-year UFC veteran.

He told Mype Sports:

"I've always been a big Tony Ferguson fan... I never call myself a fan per se because I've always seen these guys as my peers or colleagues. Since getting into the UFC very young, that always helped me get out of the mindset of being starstruck by these UFC guys... I guess, yeah, I am a big follower of Tony Ferguson. I have tried to take some motivation from his training because he is just an absolute nutbag."

Despite age catching up to him and his form inside the cage taking a nose dive as a result, Tony Ferguson is still considered one of the greatest ever lightweight contenders. His unbeaten run from 2013-2019 will forever be highlighted.

Currently enduring a five-fight losing streak, 'El Cucuy' is adamant to turn his bad fortune around and get back into the winner's circle before falling out of the rankings at 155 pounds.

Check out what Jake Matthews had to say about Tony Ferguson in the video below:

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What's next for the exciting Jake Matthews?

After a rather shaky start to life in the UFC, Matthews has seemingly found his feet inside the octagon and looks like a real problem for the welterweight division. But what's next for the prospect?

The Australian will look to showcase his ability during the prelims this weekend when he stands across the cage from the always-entertaining Matthew Semelsberger.

A win here would see Jake Matthews extend his winning run in the UFC to five from six, with the loss coming against the then-undefeated Sean Brady.

In a division stacked with top competitors, the BJJ black belt could place himself into the top 15 in his weight class should he get the win on December 17.