Dana White again urges Tony Ferguson to end career with UFC Abu Dhabi loss: ‘I would like to see him retire’

Booking former interim lightweight champion, Tony Ferguson to call time on his professional mixed martial arts career with a record-setting eighth consecutive loss at UFC Abu Dhabi in August – promotional CEO, Dana White would urge the Oxnard veteran to retire.

Ferguson, a former interim lightweight titleholder and Ultimate Fighter winner, is slated to make his return to the Octagon at the beginning of August, featuring in a main card opener at UFC Fight Night Abu Dhabi – joining fellow veteran Californian, Nick Diaz in returning at the event. 

Riding a seven-fight defeat streak – joined only by former two-weight titleholder, B.J. Penn, Ferguson has been sidelined since he featured at UFC 296 back in December, dropping a unanimous decision loss against polarizing Liverpool contender, Paddy Pimblett.

However, booking his return at UFC Abu Dhabi later this summer despite multiple calls from White for him to retire from the sport since his defeat late last year, Ferguson takes on fellow veteran, Michael Chiesa in a rescheduled pairing – with his fellow TUF winner hoping to snap his own three-fight skid. 

Dana White urges Tony Ferguson to end career

And despite claiming he would continue fighting “until the wheels fell off” recently, Ferguson, who returns to the welterweight limit, has been urged to definitely call time on his career by White if he sets an unwanted record with the most consecutive losses in Octagon history.

“Yeah, I would hope so – yeah, I would like to see him (Tony Ferguson) retire,” Dana White told assembled media following UFC 302 overnight. 

Without a victory since 2019, Ferguson’s most recent win came in the form of a second round doctor’s stoppage TKO win over Hall of Fame inductee, Donald Cerrone – which incidentally came as his record-setting twelfth straight triumph at the lightweight limit. 

Do you think Tony Ferguson could snap his losing run at UFC Abu Dhabi?