Tony Ferguson Can’t Wait To ‘Mop The Mat’ With Khabib
No. 1-ranked UFC lightweight contender Khabib Nurmagomedov and No. 2-ranked Tony Ferguson will do battle in the co-main event of March 4’s UFC 209 for the interim 155-pound title, but the bout almost didn’t come to fruition, as Ferguson was dealing with contract issues with the UFC.
The fight is now set, however, and “El Cucuy” said that the promotion met his standards financially:
“They met my standards,” Ferguson told MMAjunkie Radio. “Khabib’s offer I threw right out the window immediately. That was some trashy kind of thing. But we’re good to good. We’re full swing ahead. … We worked out financial terms. I’ve earned my stripes in this division. I’ve put in my time. I’ve put in my work. I’ve put in my effort, especially when no fans were watching when I didn’t have cameras on me.
“I don’t need anybody to believe in me besides myself, because every single day I go in there and I beat myself up that was so I can go out there and I can kick some ass. I know what I’m worth and I know my numbers, and that dude’s padded record is nowhere near my contention, my type of fights that I’ve had and presented to the world.”
As far as the fight itself goes, it is undoubtedly one of the most competitive fights taking place in the foreseeable future, as Nurmagomedov possesses a perfect 24-0 record, while Ferguson is riding an impressive 10 fight win streak.
“El Cucuy”, however, feels as if he’s a ‘different animal’:
“I’m a whole completely different animal, and he’s never seen anyone as ferocious as me inside that octagon. I’m going to put fear in this kid. I can’t wait to slam this dude. I can’t wait to mop the mat with this guy.”
The two have gone back-and-forth in the media over the last few months, stirring up quite a rivalry. Ferguson even went as far as to compare “The Eagle” to a ‘stalker ex-girlfriend’:
“He’s telling me to go train and shut up?” Ferguson said. “I’m like, ‘Man, you talk too much already, son. You talk too much. You are looking at me and you responded in like 2.2 minutes, son. You’re worse than a stalker ex-girlfriend. You’re looking at me like a hawk, an eagle and I want you to do that because you’re going to be stressing about what I’m going to do.”
Which contender do you expect to come out on top in March?
