‘I’m Just Barely Hitting My Prime’

Tony Ferguson is ready to get back in the winner’s circle at UFC 291 in Salt Lake City, Utah this weekend (Sat., July 29, 2023).

The longtime fan-favorite, Ferguson, is set to collide with Bobby “King” Green in his Lightweight return to action. Considered one of the division’s most exciting fighters of all time, Ferguson’s pairing with Green makes for a thrilling one to follow the main card opener between Michael Chiesa and Kevin Holland.

Unfortunately for the 39-year-old Ferguson, he’s on a tough five-fight losing skid ahead of his Green encounter. Despite that, “El Cucuy” still feels he hasn’t even tapped into his full potential.

“I’m gonna be real with you guys,” Ferguson said at UFC 291 media day. “It’s always been cool, I feel at this time in my life that I’m just barely hitting my prime, which is crazy. One of my coaches, Juan, earlier we were doing mitts between interviews and I told him, ‘I’ve been getting up early and I just have to lay down. I know I have to lay down.’ I got up and I did my interview and I was like, ‘Hey, is there a room open?’ Everyone said yeah. I said, ‘I’ll be right there and bring your mitts.’ Didn’t even wrap up. I went and I hit the pads and I’m f—king sharp. I’m really sharp right now. I’m just as sharp as I look, baby.”

Ferguson suffered his first loss in 12 fights against Justin Gaethje in May 2020. The interim title defeat quickly snowballed into speculation from many within the community questioning whether or not Ferguson should continue fighting as the losses piled up. That sentiment reached its peak with Ferguson’s brutal second round knockout loss to Michael Chandler (watch highlights) in May 2022 before falling short via fourth round guillotine against Nate Diaz the following September (watch highlights).

Losing streak be damned, Ferguson has his path to gold well in mind.

“I’m gonna be done when I want to be done,” Ferguson said. “But I’m also gonna have to do what I have to do in order to get where I want to get. Five fights then a title, baby. I’m out.”

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