No. 5 ranked lightweight and one half of the UFC 262 co-main event Tony Ferguson was the star of the UFC 262 pre-fight press conference.
‘El Cucuy’ threw shots at Michael Chandler, alleging that Chandler declined a fight with him at UFC 257.
Ferguson also saved some trash talk for his opponent, the no. 9 ranked lightweight Beneil Dariush.
Ferguson called out Dariush for training with Justin Gaethje ahead of Gaethje’s fight with Ferguson for the interim title at UFC 249, where Gaethje defeated Ferguson by fifth round TKO.
“I already know that you went to go help Justin Gaethje. You’re a little bitch for going out there and helping him fight for the title,” Ferguson said to Dariush at the pre-fight press conference. “I didn’t know you did that. You listened to Ali Abdelaziz and he f—–g manipulated your ass.”
It came as a surprise to many that Ferguson displayed a level of hostility to Dariush as there were not many indicators that there was an element of bad blood.
But Ferguson clarified how he felt about Dariush after the press conference. He said despite the fact that he does not have animosity toward Dariush, there are some things he takes issue with.
“I just think he’s too nonchalant and he f—–g throws everything off like it’s a joke. I don’t play like that and I don’t play like that with his team, his management or everybody else,” Ferguson said to ESPN. “I said the exact same thing I needed to say to him and his team. I’m going to go after him as much as I possibly can and they better have gotten f—–g ready, man. So UFC 262, coming at you harder than a right hook.”
UFC 262 ceremonial weigh-in video
Ferguson also shed light on how he found out about Dariush helping Gaethje train for his bout with Ferguson.
“I was doing some homework, and I was looking at some film and I didn’t even know that. So it was kind of one of those things that, you know, he’s easily manipulated,” Ferguson said. “So his management, they’re over there, and I don’t know how the f–k they ended up going over there. But you’re in the same weight class, you’re gonna fight for the same thing and you’re gonna go help somebody else win a title? That just says you’re already weak minded.
“I’m gonna go out there, I’m gonna beat you. I already broke you in that press conference. I’m going to keep putting the pressure on you, kid. The more nervous that you go, the less that you’re going to be able to do anything. You’re gonna try to throw some overhands or whatever? I’m gonna touch that chin. I’m gonna knock your ass out.”
If Ferguson needed any extra motivation to get back to his winning ways, it certainly appears that he found it.
Tony Ferguson on Beneil Dariush: “I already broke you in that press conference.”