The UFC 296 ended with disappointment for the Tony Ferguson fans yet again. After the unanimous decision defeat against Paddy ‘The Baddy’ Pimblett, ‘El Cucuy’s losing streak has now mounted up to seven losses. But Ferguson seems to be in denial of his decreasing prowess inside the octagon. He is currently 39 and hence his return to the winning books is looking pretty far-fetched now. The noted UFC icon, Khabib Nurmagomedov, had already predicted a few years back that Ferguson wouldn’t be able to make a comeback ever.
Despite being one of the most hyped matchups to date, the UFC world never got to witness the coveted Ferguson vs. Nurmagomedov bout. The UFC authorities scheduled and rescheduled the matchup five times. But the fight turned out to be a cursed one as it got canceled due to some reason or the other every time. Since then, both of these UFC stars have only talked about each other on social media.
Nurmagomedov’s appeared in a similar interview with ‘RT Sport’ in 2021. This is where he opined that Ferguson won’t ever be able to return to the winning books and also implied that he should retire. While answering a question about Ferguson, ‘The Eagle’ said:
“He is 38 years old. Tell me how he can make a comeback? He was dominated in his last three bouts. Different styles – a striker, a grappler, [Beneil] Dariush, [Charles] Oliveira, [Justin] Gaethje – they all dominated him both standing up and on the ground. When you are 38, I believe you have to pull the brakes and there have to be people around him to say, ‘Hey, you are aging. You have to stop.'”
‘The Eagle’ pointed out how Gaethje, Darius and Oliveira dominated Ferguson inside the octagon. He mentioned how age has restricted his skills. Nurmagomedov’s words does carry weight as Ferguson’s losing streak has gone up to 7.
But Ferguson still doesn’t seem to care about Khabib’s opinion. Fans have witnessed several UFC fighters getting removed from the roster after picking up four or more losses in a row. Ferguson’s recent performances does raise questions about his future in the UFC.
How long can Tony Ferguson be in the UFC if he keeps losing?
Well, nobody except time can give an exact answer to this. But, fans will agree that Ferguson is still one of the most noted names in the MMA world. Despite his losses, his fights still draw in a huge number of audiences. A large chunk of his fanbase seems to be losing hope. Still, the love that they have for Ferguson compels them to view his fights.
It simply means that Ferguson still makes a lot of money for the UFC. In such a situation, it’s quite apparent that Dana White and Co. will never think of cutting him from the roster till his fights can garner the attention of fans. However, even his loyal fanbase may give up on him after having enough of his losses.
