UFC 223: Tony Ferguson on how he got to the next level

Tony Ferguson is, without a doubt, one of the greatest lightweights to ever step foot inside the cage. The 34-year-old has had a phenomenal career up to this point and is currently riding an 11 fight winning streak which took him all the way to the Interim UFC Lightweight Championship.

However, while that accomplishment was fantastic in its own right, El Cucuy knows that it means nothing in comparison to winning the undisputed belt - which he may or may not get if he can overcome Khabib Nurmagomedov next Saturday night.

The winner of this upcoming bout will likely get a one-way ticket to a lucrative main event with Conor McGregor, which is why there's so much confusion surrounding whether or not this fight is going to be for the legitimate belt or not. Either way, Ferguson is doing a solid job of promoting the contest, with last night's UFC 223 conference call showcasing why Tony vs Khabib is such a highly anticipated showdown.

We had the chance to be a part of the call, and we were even able to talk with the champ himself. We asked him what exactly had improved the most about his game over the course of the last seven years, dating back to when he won The Ultimate Fighter and began his ascent towards the top.

"I had to learn to grow. I had to take away everything that was holding me down, like unnecessary weights, and get rid of that, and not try to fill in the void with bulls***. Allowing room for growth, and allowing myself to be the champ and be the person I can be. I don't need to be called champ. All I have to do is be good to myself, and everybody else will see it. Smiles and laughs, bro."

Tony will get the chance to end this saga with Khabib once and for all, when they go head to head on April 7th at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn.