Former UFC interim champion Tony Ferguson, once hailed as one of the best fighters in the world, has now set a new record for consecutive defeats in the Octagon. His recent loss to Michael Chiesa at UFC Fight Night marked his eighth loss in a row, surpassing the previous record held by BJ Penn. At 40 years old, Ferguson’s career seems to be spiraling downwards as he struggles to find his footing in the highly competitive world of mixed martial arts.
Ferguson’s journey to this point has been a tough one. In 2020, he was set to face Khabib Nurmagomedov in what would have been a highly anticipated lightweight title fight. However, the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted those plans, and Ferguson ended up fighting Justin Gaethje for an interim title instead. Unfortunately, he suffered a TKO loss in the fifth round, marking the beginning of his current losing streak.
After his recent loss to Chiesa, Ferguson made a symbolic gesture of retirement by taking off his gloves. However, he stopped short of officially retiring, stating that he still has things to work on. Despite his struggles, Ferguson expressed his love for the UFC and his reluctance to go anywhere else. He emphasized his desire to continue fighting by putting down one glove and keeping the other, just in case.
Ferguson’s losing streak draws parallels to UFC legend BJ Penn, who also faced a similar downfall in his career. Like Ferguson, Penn was once considered one of the best lightweights in the world before experiencing a sudden drop in performance. Penn lost his lightweight title to Frankie Edgar in 2012 and retired in 2019 after a string of nine defeats, including his final seven fights.
Tony Ferguson’s record-breaking losing streak serves as a cautionary tale about the unpredictable nature of the sport. Despite his past achievements and reputation as a top fighter, Ferguson now finds himself struggling to regain his former glory. Only time will tell if he can overcome this challenging period in his career and make a comeback in the Octagon.
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