How Tony Ferguson Went From Ultimate Fighter To UFC Champion
7 min readTony Ferguson is an American mixed martial artist who is currently the reigning UFC lightweight champion. He first rose to prominence as a contestant on the Ultimate Fighter reality television series, where he emerged as the show’s champion. After successfully defending his title twice, Ferguson has now become one of the most successful fighters in UFC history, with five championships overall. In this article, we will look at how Ferguson went from Ultimate Fighter to UFC champion, and highlight some of his key achievements.
1. Tony Ferguson’s Road to the UFC Championship
It’s been a long and winding road for Tony Ferguson.
The 34-year-old lightweight champion has had more than his share of ups and downs in his MMA career. But after a decade in the sport, Ferguson finally reached the pinnacle of the sport when he won the UFC lightweight title at UFC 216.
Ferguson’s road to the title has been an eventful one. He first made a name for himself as a contestant on The Ultimate Fighter 13, where he won his first three fights before being submitted in the semifinals by eventual winner Ramsey Nijem.
After being released from the UFC, Ferguson went on a tear through the regional circuit, winning 11 straight fights. He finally made his way back to the UFC in 2012 and has been on a roll ever since, winning nine of his 10 fights in the Octagon.
Ferguson’s most recent victory was a dominant performance against Kevin Lee at UFC 216, where he won the interim lightweight title. With the win, Ferguson extended his winning streak to 10 fights and earned himself a title shot against current champion Conor McGregor.
While a date and location for the fight have yet to be announced, Ferguson is already looking ahead to his next challenge.
“I’m here to stay,” Ferguson said after his win at UFC 216. “I’ve earned my stripes. I’ve paid my dues. I’ve put in the work. And now it’s time to collect.”
It’s been a long road to the top for Tony Ferguson, but after a decade in the sport, he’s finally reached the pinnacle of the MMA world.
2. Ferguson’s Early Life and Career
Tony Ferguson is one of the most exciting fighters in the UFC today. He’s known for his unorthodox and dangerous fighting style, which has earned him the nickname “El Cucuy”.
Ferguson was born in California in 1984. He began his martial arts training at a young age, studying karate and jiu-jitsu. He later began training in MMA and made his professional debut in 2008.
Ferguson quickly rose through the ranks of the MMA world, winning his first 10 fights. In 2011, he was selected as a contestant on The Ultimate Fighter, a reality TV show which featured up-and-coming MMA fighters. Ferguson went on to win the show and earned a contract with the UFC.
Since then, Ferguson has continued to impress inside the Octagon. He’s won 16 of his 18 UFC fights, with his only losses coming against top contenders like Khabib Nurmagomedov and Rafael dos Anjos.
Ferguson is currently on an 11-fight win streak and is the UFC interim lightweight champion. He’s scheduled to fight Khabib Nurmagomedov for the undisputed lightweight title in April 2018.
There’s no doubt that Tony Ferguson is one of the best fighters in the world today. He’s a true warrior, and always puts on a great show for the fans. With his exciting fighting style and impressive win streak, Ferguson has cemented his place as one of the UFC’s top stars.
3. Ferguson’s Time as an Ultimate Fighter
It’s been a long road to the top for Tony Ferguson.
The 34-year-old fighter has had his share of ups and downs throughout his career, but he’s finally reached the pinnacle of the sport as the UFC lightweight champion.
Ferguson’s journey to the top began in 2011 when he was a contestant on The Ultimate Fighter 13.
Ferguson didn’t win the show, but he impressed the UFC brass enough to earn a spot on the roster.
He would go on to win his first six UFC fights, including a submission of the night win over Ramsey Nijem in his UFC debut.
However, Ferguson would hit a roadblock in his career in 2013 when he suffered back-to-back losses to Michael Johnson and Josh Thomson.
many thought Ferguson’s career was over, but he bounced back in a big way.
Ferguson would go on a six-fight win streak, which included five finishes.
His streak was finally snapped by then-lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos in 2015, but Ferguson quickly rebounded with a three-fight win streak.
This set up a title eliminator against Kevin Lee in 2017, which Ferguson won to earn a title shot against then-champion Conor McGregor.
However, the fight would never happen as McGregor was stripped of the title after he refused to defend it.
Ferguson would then be scheduled to fight Khabib Nurmagomedov for the vacant title, but the fight fell through multiple times due to injuries.
Finally, after nearly two years of waiting, Ferguson and Nurmagomedov met in the octagon at UFC 229 in October 2018.
The fight lived up to the hype as Ferguson and Nurmagomedov put on a five-round war.
In the end, it was Nurmagomedov who would come out on top, but Ferguson’s gutsy performance earned him a lot of respect from fans and pundits alike.
Ferguson would bounce back from the loss with a win over Anthony Pettis in March 2019.
This set up a rematch with Nurmagomedov for the title at UFC 249 in
4. Ferguson’s Rise to the UFC Championship
In 2011, Tony Ferguson was a contestant on The Ultimate Fighter, a reality show where up-and-coming MMA fighters compete for a UFC contract. He didn’t win the show, but he impressed the UFC brass enough to earn a spot on the roster.
Since then, Ferguson has gone on an incredible run, winning 12 straight fights and becoming the UFC interim lightweight champion. In the process, he’s become one of the most entertaining fighters in the sport, with a style that’s a mix of aggression and creativity.
And on Saturday, he has a chance to become the undisputed UFC lightweight champion when he takes on Khabib Nurmagomedov at UFC 249.
It’s been a long road to the top for Ferguson, but he’s always had the talent and the drive to be a champion. Here’s a look at how he went from Ultimate Fighter to UFC champion.
Tony Ferguson is a fighter who needs no introduction. He is one of the most exciting, unpredictable, and dominant forces in the UFC today. Ferguson has been on an absolute tear as of late, winning his last 12 fights in a row. This includes wins over some of the best lightweights in the world, such as Rafael dos Anjos, Kevin Lee, and Anthony Pettis.
Ferguson’s fighting style is unlike any other in MMA. He is a dynamic striker with an unorthodox approach that often leaves his opponents baffled. He is also an extremely skilled grappler, with a black belt in 10th Planet Jiu Jitsu. This makes him a very dangerous fighter to deal with, as he can finish the fight anywhere.
Ferguson’s journey to the top has been an interesting one. He started his MMA career in 2008, and he quickly racked up a record of 12-2. He then auditioned for The Ultimate Fighter 13, which featured welterweights. Ferguson did not make it past the tryouts, but he was eventually offered a spot on the show as a replacement fighter.
On The Ultimate Fighter, Ferguson lost his first fight to Ramsey Nijem. He then won his next two fights, which earned him a spot in the semifinals. In
5. Ferguson’s Legacy
Tony Ferguson is one of the most popular and successful mixed martial artists in the world. He is a former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) lightweight champion and is currently ranked #2 in the UFC lightweight division.
Ferguson was born in February 1984 in Oxnard, California. He began his mixed martial arts (MMA) training at the age of 19 and made his professional debut in 2008.
Ferguson quickly rose through the ranks of the MMA world, winning his first 12 fights. This earned him a spot on The Ultimate Fighter: Team Lesnar vs. Team dos Santos, where he eventually became the runner-up.
After his time on The Ultimate Fighter, Ferguson continued to rack up wins in the UFC, eventually earning a title shot against then-champion Rafael dos Anjos in November 2016. Ferguson won the fight via submission in the third round to become the UFC lightweight champion.
Ferguson successfully defended his title twice, against Kevin Lee and Anthony Pettis, before being stripped of the title in October 2019 due to injury.
Despite not currently holding the UFC lightweight title, Ferguson remains one of the top fighters in the division and is widely considered one of the best MMA fighters in the world.
Ferguson’s success in the UFC has earned him numerous sponsorships, including deals with Reebok, Monster Energy, and Bud Light. He has also appeared in a number of commercials, most notably for the video game UFC 3.
In addition to his fighting career, Ferguson is also a successful real estate investor. He owns several properties in Southern California, including a ranch in Temecula.
Ferguson’s story is an inspiring one of hard work and determination paying off. He has overcome many obstacles in his life, including a difficult childhood and a severe injury, to become one of the most successful MMA fighters in the world.
Ferguson’s legacy will continue to grow as he continues to compete at the highest level in the UFC. He is a true champion in every sense of the word and is sure to go down as one of the greatest MMA fighters of all time.