Tony Ferguson targets ‘Tiramisu’ and ‘McNuggets’ after UFC 238

Although it sounds like Dana White and the UFC might pursue an immediate rematch between Tony Ferguson and Donald Cerrone, Ferguson himself is looking ahead to other challenges.

Speaking at the UFC 238 post-fight press conference, the streaking contender once again called for a title fight with the man he calls “Tiramisu,” Khabib Nurmagomedov. He and the Russian champion have been scheduled to fight four times previously to no avail.

”I made it a point in my head, ‘You’re going to walk away like a champ no matter what anybody thinks,’” Ferguson said (via MMA Mania). “‘You’re going to walk in there with your head held high, and you’re gonna walk out the same way that you walked in.’ Yeah, I had my head down because I heard the boos, but i think more than anything else the fans wanted another round. And honestly, I would have given them another round or two, and if you had brought someone else in there, it would have been the same f**king story, I would have bled all over the place.

”I got 12 fights in a row, man,” Tony Ferguson continued. “I should be calling the f**king shots. With all due respect to the UFC and Dana White, I think they need an evaluation if my next fight isn’t a title fight,”

”It’s kinda funny, I don’t know what else I have to do in this division to keep … to keep after it. It’s a round robin tournament, but I’m tired of it. I’m here to stay. I am the f**king champ. I don’t have to go on and refurbish a lot of that stuff. You guys know what I’m about. I’m about the business, you guys know I’m about learning and growing and … f**k, man. If Dustin Poirier doesn’t do it, I’m going to do it. ‘Tiramisu’ needs an ass whooping; he needs two to the stomach from me.”

Barring that, Tony Ferguson said he’d also welcome a fight with “McNuggets” Conor McGregor. In fact, he did his part to encourage the wealthy Irishman to keep fighting.

“And if it’s ‘McNuggets’ for a money fight, literally?” Ferguson continued, referencing Conor McGregor. “He’s an athlete, too. I know the division misses him. I’m pretty sure he misses the fight game, too. We need to see these fighters keep coming out and represent the sport, because that’s why you got into it. You’re an athlete. Keep coming back and when it’s your turn to retire, go and f**king retire, man. But if you’ve made a name in this sport and you’re able and within the age limit, keep competing.

Where do you think Tony Ferguson should go from here?

This article first appeared on BJPENN.COM on 6/9/2019.