UFC Lightweight

UFC: Tony Ferguson calls for a fight with Michael Chandler

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Tony Ferguson, UFC

There is no division in the UFC that is as exciting as the lightweight division. One of the most exciting fighters in that division is El Cucuy, Tony Ferguson. Ferguson last fought back at UFC 249 when he lost to Justin Gaethje.

Since then, Ferguson has been itching to get back into the octagon. The UFC was trying to book him against Dustin Poirier for UFC 254. However, that fight fell apart due to financial negotiations with Poirier and the UFC. 

The promotion has moved on to booking Poirier against Conor McGregor. Meanwhile the promotion signed former Bellator champion, Michael Chandler. They offered Chandler to Tony Ferguson, however, Ferguson didn’t seem interested. 

Well, some time has passed and Ferguson seems to be changing his tune. The former interim lightweight champion took to Twitter last night to call out the former Bellator champion for a fight in December.

New fight for UFC 256?

The UFC always tries to build up their final PPV card of the year. Last year they had three titles on the line in their final PPV card. This year at UFC 256, the promotion has lost two title fights originally scheduled for that event.

Now, there is one title fight left which is the bantamweight title fight between Petr Yan and Aljamain Sterling. However, the card needs a little more star power after losing Amanda Nunes last week. 

Tony Ferguson has opened the door for the UFC to book a helluva lightweight matchup for that card. Michael Chandler has been itching for a big time fight since he signed with the promotion.

However, the promotion was struggling to book him a fight. He wanted to jump right in to take on someone in the UFC‘s top five to see right away whether he belonged or not. It appears he’s going to get that chance.

Chandler has been very vocal about his desire to fight Tony Ferguson. Now that it appears Ferguson is on board, all the attention will turn to the UFC brass. I think there’s a pretty high probability that this fight gets made for UFC 256.

Conor McGregor – Dustin Poirier official for UFC 257

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Conor McGregor, UFC

The wait and the negotiations are finally over. The UFC has finally come to terms with both fighters and the rematch that the world is waiting on is booked. Per MMA Fighting, Dustin Poirier (26-6, 1 NC) has agreed to terms and the rematch with Conor McGregor (22-4) is on.

The two men will headline UFC 257 that will take place on January 23rd. The date was created specifically for the McGregor – Poirier rematch, but there’s been doubts around the fight over the past week. In fact, there’s been talk the UFC might pivot from Poirier.

Yesterday, it was reported that the UFC was considering moving on from Poirier to book McGregor against Justin Gaethje. This was looked at as a tactic to put a little pressure on The Diamond who had been at odds with UFC brass.

Poirier was originally supposed to face Tony Ferguson back in October. However, that fight fell apart due to financial negotiations. Then, the McGregor – Poirier rematch started picking up steam, but it wasn’t smooth sailing in getting the fight booked.

McGregor had agreed to terms with the promotion, but the UFC was still having trouble with Poirier. This promoted the promotion to start working on alternative plans with Justin Gaethje. We don’t know which side ultimately caved, but the fight is now official.

UFC 257

Conor McGregor last fought at UFC 246 in January of this year. After the victory, McGregor openly talked about his desire to remain active in his MMA career. He wanted a 2020 season that would culminate with him winning the lightweight championship again.

However, the pandemic through everything off. McGregor ended up retiring and having a public spat with UFC President Dana White. McGregor challenged Dustin Poirier to a fight for charity that had nothing to do with the UFC following Poirier’s struggles with the promotion.

Both men agreed, but that prompted the UFC to get to work on booking the fight. It wasn’t easy, but now it is official. These two men fought at featherweight when McGregor was on the rise in his career. Poirier is far better now, but you could make the same argument for McGregor.

The rematch should be a lot of fun and it will be a massive event for the UFC‘s lightweight division.

UFC: Could Justin Gaethje replace Dustin Poirier against Conor McGregor?

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Dana White said last week that the UFC fight between Conor McGregor (22-4) and Dustin Poirier (26-6, 1 NC) was done. However, shortly after that statement we learned that the contracts hadn’t been signed yet for the matchup in January.

In fact, Dustin Poirier tweeted out at the UFC to stop playing games. It appears that the holdup in the fight getting finalized is once again with The Diamond. If you recall, Dustin Poirier was originally supposed to fight Tony Ferguson at UFC 254.

However, the fight was called off after the UFC and Poirier failed to agree on financial terms. The promotion also tried to make a fight with Poirier against Michael Chandler, however, Poirier said that the offer was a slap in the face to him. 

McGregor and Poirier originally agreed to fight for charity on Twitter. However, the UFC turned around and worked on getting an actual fight between the two men finalized. It appeared that the official announcement was imminent.

However, we have hit another speedbump. Ariel Helwani reported yesterday that Poirier and the UFC remain apart in their financial negotiations. However, the promotion has a card to play in their back pocket which could force Poirier’s hand. That card is former interim champion, Justin Gaethje (22-3).

Will the UFC make the switch?

Justin Gaethje is just itching to get back into the octagon after his last performance. Gaethje was choked out by Khabib Nurmagomedov in their undisputed title match last month. However, Gaethje said he wanted to immediately get back into the cage.

A fight with McGregor in January would sure fit his timeline. In my opinion this will all come down to what Conor McGregor wants. If McGregor is adamant about fighting Dustin Poirier, I think the UFC will ultimately cave a little to make the fight happen.

However, if McGregor takes the stand that he doesn’t care who it is, I think it becomes 50/50. Gaethje and McGregor have some heat between them which could make for a very fun matchup. It’ll be interesting to see how this plays out. Time will tell on who The Notorious one will face in January.

Could the UFC do a lightweight tournament?

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UFC, Dana White

This past weekend at UFC 254, Khabib Nurmagomedov defeated Justin Gaethje to retain his lightweight championship. After the fight was over, Khabib laid his gloves in the center of the octagon and said that he had fought his final fight in the UFC.

With that, the UFC‘s lightweight division has just been blown open. Nobody really knows what the promotion is going to do with the lightweight title now that Khabib Nurmagomedov is walking away from the sport.

Michael Chandler was in attendance because he was the backup fighter. Chandler had a suggestion for the UFC and that was to put on a lightweight tournament for the vacant title. The UFC hasn’t put on tournaments since the early days.

Well, I guess there was the flyweight tournament back in 2012. However, that was to crown a new champion in a new division. Chandler’s idea is definitely interesting for the promotion. I could also see the promotion making the Conor McGregor – Dustin Poirier fight for the title.

McGregor is the last undisputed lightweight champion not named Khabib Nurmagomedov. Meanwhile Poirier is the former UFC interim lightweight champion and he knocked out Justin Gaethje who was the interim champion entering UFC 254.

What will the UFC do?

There are a lot of people who want to see Justin Gaethje right back in a title fight. However, I don’t think the UFC is going to do that. The McGregor – Poirier fight just makes too much sense for the vacant lightweight championship.

I think you’ll see the UFC look to book Michael Chandler against Tony Ferguson. I think they really want to make that fight, and it would be a fun matchup for fans. They could then make a fight between Justin Gaethje and Dan Hooker.

The winners of those two fights could then face off for a chance to fight the winner of the McGregor – Poirier fight. The UFC is planning on McGregor – Poirier in January, and I bet the winner likely wouldn’t defend the title until the July PPV.

That would give the promotion time in the middle to have the winners face each other. So in a sense, it would be like a tournament. However, it would be a tournament to face the champion which will be decided in January.

I don’t know what the UFC will do and frankly they probably won’t do that. However, I think this would be a good way to get everyone matched up. The McGregor – Poirier fight is already almost done, why not up the stakes and make it even bigger by throwing the title on the line?

Khabib Nurmagomedov dominates Justin Gaethje at UFC 254

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The main event of UFC 254 was arguably the most anticipated fight of 2020. The undisputed and undefeated lightweight king, Khabib Nurmagomedov (28-0), was set to defend his title against the interim champion, Justin Gaethje (22-2).

Nobody has been able to solve the puzzle that is Khabib Nurmagomedov. His dominance in the UFC is something that’s virtually unheard of. However, Justin Gaethje was looked at as the most dangerous challenger given his style.

As the UFC 254 main event got underway, Gaethje opened up with a leg kick. Both men looked very tentative in the first minute of the fight. A leg kick got the action going in the second minute. Both fighters exchanged good right hands but neither did serious damage.

Khabib appeared to be trying to time the takedown early on. Khabib really started to pressure halfway through the first round. However, Gaethje was going a good job of landing good shots. A big knee from Khabib caught Gaethje’s attention.

Khabib’s pressure appeared to be tiring Gaethje a little in the first. However, Gaethje landed a couple of really clean shots. Khabib shoots in for his first big takedown attempt and lands it just before the first round ends. Good opening round for the UFC champion.

As the second round opened, Khabib went right back to the pressure. Gaethje landed a good left hook to start the striking. However, Khabib walked right through it. Nurmagomedov shoots in for a takedown and he’s able to land it.

Khabib immediately starts to look to set up a triangle choke on Gaethje. He locks it in and it’s tight. Gaethje taps, but the referee doesn’t see it. Khabib puts Gaethje to sleep and the UFC lightweight king remains unbeaten.

What’s next after UFC 254

The most dangerous challenger in the UFC for Khabib Nurmagomedov was supposed to be Justin Gaethje. However, Khabib completely walked through Gaethje just like he’s walked through all 28 of his previous opponents.

For Khabib, there’s not much left to prove in the lightweight division. I think that the UFC should really try to book the GSP fight because there’s not a ton left for Khabib to prove in the lightweight division.

However, Nurmagomedov announced in the post-fight interview that he was walking away from the sport. With nothing left to prove, he was ready to walk away from the sport at a perfect 29-0.

For Justin Gaethje, this is a pretty disappointing performance, but there’s no shame in him losing to Khabib Nurmagomedov. This will not be the last time that Justin Gaethje fights for the UFC lightweight championship.

Khabib Nurmagomedov leaves no secrets about his UFC 254 game plan

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One of the most special things about Khabib Nurmagomedov (28-0) is his honesty. The UFC lightweight champion never leaves it a secret as to what he’s going to do when he steps into the octagon. This Saturday night is no different.

Nurmagomedov will step into the cage at UFC 254 across from interim champion, Justin Gaethje (22-2). Stylistically, Gaethje might be the toughest test Khabib has ever faced inside of the octagon. Bringing incredible striking power with a wrestling background.

The Highlight was an All-American wrestler in college. However, his striking has become so lethal that he leans on that when he fights. Still, he has that wrestling pedigree in his back pocket whenever he needs it. That’s what makes this fight so intriguing.

However, Nurmagomedov is not changing things up when it comes to this fight. Khabib plans on doing the same thing that he’s done to all 28 of his opponents. He plans on dragging Gaethje to the ground and controlling him just like he’s controlled everyone else.

UFC’s most unstoppable force?

“I know he(Gaethje) knows how to wrestle. But what about wrestling for 25 minutes? If I try to take him down once and he defends, I’m going to go all night. This is a big difference in US wrestling and Dagestan wrestling,” Nurmagomedov told reporters yesterday at the pre-fight press conference.

The UFC lightweight champion is brutally honest. He tells his opponents he’s going to try to take them down all night, yet nobody has been able to stop it. Conor McGregor couldn’t stop it, Dustin Poirier couldn’t stop it, and I could keep going on.

The UFC‘s interim lightweight champion, Gaethje, is the one guy in the division who might be able to stop it. The early rounds are going to be crucial for Justin Gaethje at UFC 254. He needs to inflict as much damage as he can early on in the fight.

He’s going to defend some takedowns on Saturday. However, I would bet my life savings that at some point, Nurmagomedov is going to land a takedown. That is where the real battle begins. Will Gaethje be able to get up, or will he succumb like the 28 men who have tried before him.

UFC currently working on some “Fun Stuff” for Conor McGregor

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Conor McGregor, UFC

According to Conor McGregor and Dana White, the UFC‘s star has been retired since earlier this summer. Or at least that’s what they’ve been telling everyone over the past couple of months. Nobody actually believed that to be true.

White has publicly said over and over that the UFC wasn’t even talking with McGregor since he was retired. However, recently, McGregor’s name has been in the media due to a new round of sexual allegations. Allegations that he’s vigorously denied.

This morning on SportsCenter, Dana White did talk about Conor McGregor. However, instead of saying that he’s retired, White had changed his tune regarding the Irishman’s status with the promotion.

The UFC’s Plan for McGregor

As you can see, the UFC is fully planning on Conor McGregor returning to the octagon. If he returns in early 2021, it would have been another year long layoff for the UFC‘s former two division champion. McGregor had said he wanted 2020 to be his comeback season.

That of course was derailed. Back at UFC 246, McGregor started the year with a dominant victory over Donald Cerrone. McGregor finished Cerrone in under a minute, looking better than ever. He said in his post-fight interview that any of these mouthy fools can get it.

However, a pandemic really through off the UFC‘s plans. McGregor was desperate to fight and spent months calling people out. With the UFC encouraging him to sit on the sidelines and wait for a title shot, McGregor decided to retire from the sport (again).

Now, it appears that the UFC is gearing up for McGregor’s return next year. My guess is that there’s a very real chance he could face the winner of the main event at UFC 254. Or perhaps he could fight newly signed Michael Chandler? Either way, the promotion is currently working on something for their superstar.

The UFC and Michael Chandler are in “Advanced Talks” (Report)

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Michael Chandler

The hottest free agent in MMA is Michael Chandler (21-5). The former Bellator lightweight champion has all the top promotions after him including the UFC. Chandler has expressed his interest in challenging some of the top guys in the octagon.

For years, Chandler has been known as one of the top lightweights in the world. However, since he wasn’t in the UFC, many downplayed his success. Well, we might be getting closer to seeing Chandler be able to test himself inside the octagon.

Per ESPN’s Ariel Helwani, the UFC and Michael Chandler are in advanced talks on a deal that would bring Chandler to the octagon. Many perceived the UFC to be the favorite especially after Dana White publicly said how much he liked Chandler.

When could Chandler debut in the UFC?

It is worth noting that the deal with Chandler and the UFC is not finalized just yet. However, the deal appears to see the light at the end of the tunnel which signals we are going to see Michael Chandler in the UFC barring any last minute hiccups.

If the deal gets finalized, we could see Michael Chandler make his debut relatively quickly. Dana White said last night that the promotion was moving on and offering Tony Ferguson another fight after his fight with Dustin Poirier fell apart.

Could that fight be a matchup with Michael Chandler? That is the fight that I would move to make if I was the UFC. Chandler wants to jump right in with the sharks, and it doesn’t get much better than jumping in with Ferguson.

If the Poirier fight isn’t an option, the best the UFC can do for Ferguson is Michael Chandler. We all know that Dana White tries to make the biggest fights possible, and a lot of people would be interested in seeing Chandler – Ferguson.

Tony Ferguson to the UFC regarding Poirier: “Pay the man!”

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Tony Ferguson, UFC

The UFC‘s lightweight boogie man is trying to campaign for his fight to be saved. Tony Ferguson (25-4) has been training and getting ready to fight Dustin Poirier (26-6, 1 NC) next month on fight island. However, the fight has failed to materialize.

After some negotiations, the UFC decided to scrap the fight. The promotion couldn’t come to terms with Poirier on the financial figures. While there was hope for the fight to be saved, Dana White said that the UFC wasn’t even trying to save it.

However, El Cucuy has voiced his opinion on the matter. He believes that the UFC needs to step up and pay Dustin Poirier to make this fight happen. Of course, his opponent fully agrees with Ferguson’s statements.

What does the UFC do?

This is a fight that the fans want to see, and Dana White always says that he wants to make the fights happen that the fans want to see. Granted, we don’t know how far apart the UFC and Poirier were on the financial terms of the deal.

Poirier is in a tough spot not actually being the champion. He’s not in a Conor McGregor position where he can demand a ton more from the promotion. That being said, Poirier knows his popularity is growing, and he wants to be compensated.

A fight between these two men would clearly determine the number one contender in the UFC‘s lightweight division. Despite both hovering in the top five for some time now, these two lightweight standouts have yet to cross paths.

Of course, if the UFC was too far away, there are a couple of options for Ferguson. My favorite option outside of Poirier would be the fight with Michael Chandler. I think that would be a fantastic fight for both Ferguson and the debuting Chandler.

Time will tell what the UFC decides to do. I know that Tony Ferguson wants to fight, and it’s clear he wants to fight Dustin Poirier. It’ll be interesting to see what the promotion decides to do.

UFC: Tony Ferguson – Dustin Poirier fight not happening

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Tony Ferguson, UFC

One of the most highly anticipated lightweight matchups of the fall will not happen. The UFC was planning on having Tony Ferguson (25-4) and Dustin Poirier (26-6, 1 NC) co-headline UFC 254. The promotion has been working on this fight for a while.

Things started to get bumpy when Poirier said yesterday that he was a, “Prize fighter and the prize needs to be right.” Seemingly, Poirier was suggesting that the negotiations with the UFC were not going well.

Well, ESPN’s Ariel Helwani is reporting this afternoon that the highly anticipated matchup between Poirier and Ferguson is off. According to Poirier, “UFC and I couldn’t come to terms. I won’t be fighting on October 24th.”

What does the UFC do now?

It’s tough to say what the UFC is planning to do next. We don’t know how far they were apart with Poirier, but for the fight to fall apart publicly, my guess is that the numbers were not close. I think the promotion will still try to keep Ferguson on the card.

In looking at the rankings, it’s possible that the UFC tries to throw Dan Hooker (20-9) in there. Hooker is coming off of a loss back in June to Poirier, but from a rankings perspective, he would be the next in line. I’m not counting Conor McGregor here.

Of course, there is a much sexier option that I would offer the UFC. Why not call up the hottest free agent in the business in Michael Chandler (21-5)? Chandler said that if he comes to the UFC, he wants to go right into the deep end. Doesn’t get much deeper than El Cucuy.

Of course, the UFC could always try to renegotiate the fight with Poirier for a later date. Time will tell what happens, but this is a tough blow for fans that were pumped for this fight.