Latest news with #TonyFerguson
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
We laughed, but we would've watched: Ferguson, Danis and GFL should've owned this weekend
Living in Ireland and covering combat sports for a living, you'd think I'd rejoice in a malnourished MMA weekend that allows for a full night's sleep, but you'd be wrong. Over a decade of diminished dozing has taught me that it isn't a choice. It's a sickness. And nothing has highlighted that sickness quite like realizing Saturday was supposed to mark GFL's debut. On a weekend light on MMA, the freak-show loving hardcore crowd I proudly belong to would've been glued to our screens. Advertisement The pièce de résistance of this meme-fueled double-header was Tony Ferguson vs. Dillon Danis — a bout that doesn't quite reach the giddy morbid highs of Eddie Hall vs. Mariusz Pudzianowski or Eddie Hall vs. Two Tiny Guys, but it came pretty damn close. Of course, there was something frightening about a legend like Ferguson taking his eight-fight skid into a contest against the oft-ridiculed résumé of a formerly celebrated jiu-jitsu player Danis. But the mockery the bout drew on announcement had a communal feel — and an unspoken guarantee that we'd all show up anyway. Not in support, but in solidarity of disbelief. The GFL dream It's never a great sign when one of the biggest talking points around a new promotion is, 'Will it even happen?' — but that was the dominant narrative surrounding GFL when founder Darren Owen announced his intentions on "The Ariel Helwani Show" back in December. Advertisement From the jump, the team-based format drew ridicule, with MMA's grizzled memory bank immediately pointing to the ill-fated IFL (hat-tip to Uncrowned's own Ben Fowlkes). While the promised 50/50 revenue split with fighters was a commendable idea, the absence of a broadcast partner raised the obvious question — what revenue? To be fair to GFL, they must have pitched well — the roster was nothing to scoff at, boasting a vast array of former UFC champions (albeit many well past their sell-by dates). But cracks appeared early when multiple announced fighters publicly claimed they were still under contract with rival promotions. We got our first real glimpse of the GFL's surreal appeal during January's 'live' draft. What should've been a hype-building event instead became a masterclass in collective cringe, as the 80% AI-generated production had fans stampeding to social media to join the pile-on. The most talked-about moment? Not a fighter, coach, or team — but a rap song (yet another IFL nod), its chorus echoing through the chaos. 'Protect your neck… wooooooaahhh!' UFC dominance While my overview of the promotion may seem trite, I genuinely believe a lot of fans would have tuned in if Saturday's debut event went ahead. In an age where the gap between the UFC and every other promotion appears to be growing every weekend, the ability to put on an event that inspires genuine curiosity is no mean feat. Advertisement The Patchy Mix to UFC story and the postponement of PFL's biggest event of the year — starring Dakota Ditcheva and Johnny Eblen — are the latest marks against the MMA co-leader in what seems to be a conveyor belt of critical developments throughout 2024-25. The promotion's best work has been done on the European scene. I marveled at the event I witnessed in Paris, where 20,000 people showed up at the Accor Arena to heap adoration on Cedric Doumbé. Similarly, in Belfast last weekend, Paul Hughes' homecoming felt like a real moment for the brand. However, those in the U.S. simply have to take my word for it as there was no legal avenue to watch either event in "The Land of the Free." Donn Davis's 'co-leader' moniker is drawing more and more ridicule as the hits keep coming for PFL, but there is a lot happening in Europe with Oktagon regularly booking gargantuan venues and the kings of the freak-show, KSW, drawing the intrigue of the world with their recent Pudzianowski vs. Hall offering. PFL hosting the early knockout rounds of this year's global tournament at the Universal Studios soundstage point to a lack of interest U.S. fans had in attending the events. It also underlines the dominance the UFC boasts in its homeland, where TKO continues breaking gate records at every venue it visits, often to the confusing delight of those in attendance who whooped and hollered when the dollar-pinching tally was announced. Oh hey — TKO just broke another gate record while you were reading this. (Georgiana Dallas/WWE via Getty Images) (WWE via Getty Images) Attention In the end, GFL didn't happen. Advertisement Ferguson didn't fight Danis and we didn't get an opportunity to collectively chortle to our hearts' content — and perhaps we should be sad about that. Even though the promotion was doomed to fail, it did something the overwhelming majority of promotions outside the UFC cannot do. It got people talking. As the UFC effortlessly widens the gap, the No. 2 spot in MMA remains a strange, shifting thing. It's not about talent. It's not about titles. It's about attention — and occasionally, about tapping into the bizarre, junk-food part of our fandom that just wants to see what happens when chaos is left unsupervised. Ferguson vs. Danis could have very well been a car crash, but deep down we know we would have all been there, bracing for impact together. In that shared, guilty curiosity, there was a chance — however fleeting — that the GFL just might have worked, if only for one weekend.
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Paddy Pimblett reveals next UFC legend he wants to take down, and it's not Conor McGregor
Popular UFC lightweight Paddy Pimblett has revealed the legend he wants to take down next: Justin Gaethje. 'I'm just planning for myself in October. I think it will more than likely be Justin Gaethje because Max [Holloway] and Dustin [Poirier] are fighting, that's [No. 4 and No. 5],' he told ESPN. 'Obviously, Justin is a legend. He comes out and he has a scrap. You can't not like Justin Gaethje. He comes out and has a scrap every time. But he's another one who is coming to the back end of his career, and I really think that I finish him.' Advertisement Related: Paddy Pimblett next fight – 3 opponent options for 'The Baddy's' Octagon return A few years ago, many UFC fans would have laughed or rolled their eyes at the idea of Pimblett facing Gaethje, let alone having a real chance to beat him. However, his back-to-back wins over former champion Tony Ferguson and division stalwart King Green in 2023 and 2024 quieted many doubters. Paddy Pimblett record: 23-3 (6 knockouts, 11 submissions) Then his dominant April victory over fan favorite Michael Chandler silenced those remaining Pimblett detractors. The Englishman looked good throughout the fight and scored an impressive third-round submission over the former title challenger. All three of those fights were classic UFC bookings. Advertisement The company placed a fast-rising star against a name fighter whose best days are behind them. At 36 and with over 30 fights on his resume, the former interim champion falls into that category. So, a clash between the two top 10 fighters is possible this year. Former two-division champion Conor McGregor would be in that group, too. And the fight hype between brash Irish and English fighters could be spectacular. However, after so many losses, false promises, and scrapped plans, McGregor's name is so damaged that he isn't even a thought for a fighter like Paddy Pimblett right now. Also Read:: UFC pound for pound rankings: Belal Muhammad loses top 10 spot following UFC 315 defeat Related Headlines
The Independent
10-04-2025
- Sport
- The Independent
GFL cancels first two events as uncertainty swirls around future of new MMA promotion
The GFL has reportedly cancelled its first two events, as the new MMA promotion struggles to get off the ground. The Global Fight League, which launched earlier this year, signed numerous former UFC fighters before announcing it would stage its first two cards this spring. The original plan was seemingly to open their inaugural season in April, but the opening events were delayed until 24 and 25 May – and now they have been cancelled entirely, per Uncrowned and MMA Fighting. California State Athletic Commission executive director Andy Foster confirmed the news to the outlets. Tony Ferguson, Urijah Faber, Alexander Gustafsson, Holly Holm and Anthony Pettis were among the many UFC veterans due to compete in Los Angeles. Chad Mendes, Paige VanZant, Thiago Santos, Renan Barao and Derek Brunson were also set to be involved, among others. It is unclear whether the events in question will be rescheduled or the GFL's opening season has collapsed entirely.
USA Today
04-03-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Tony Ferguson reflects on UFC departure: 'It was the hardest f*cking thing I had to do'
Tony Ferguson's release from the UFC was an emotional time in his career. Ferguson (25-11) parted ways with the UFC after almost 14 years of competing inside the octagon. It was a successful ride for Ferguson, who kickstarted his tenure by winning Season 13 of 'The Ultimate Fighter' in 2011 en route to capturing the UFC interim lightweight championship. However, Ferguson closed out his run on a historic downfall after amassing a UFC-record eight consecutive losses, most recently a submission to Michael Chiesa last August at UFC on ABC 7. 'I have to tell you, I packed up all my UFC stuff, I put it into bags, and it was the hardest f*cking thing I had to do,' Ferguson said Monday on 'The Ariel Helwani Show.' 'It was a couple of days where it took time for me to be able to adjust. I put everything in big storage bags, and I was ready to move on. I went into 'The Ultimate Fighter' with the purpose of winning a fat check so I can help my family out, my grandma and everything, and I ended up getting a contract. So, this whole entire process has never been a disappointment, 'But what it has been is a learning experience of how, one, about how I go about my business. Two, about how I treat my close circle. Three, about how I want to plan for the future. Right now where we're at in this stage, it's so amazing that there is an opportunity for a lot of other people to display their things and new clothes and a new jersey and a new name on the shirt. It's such a great feeling to have and a relief to move on. No bad blood anywhere, I think this is great.' 'I'm a human being' Ferguson has already moved on. He inked a deal with the Global Fight League and said he'll fight Dillon Danis on May 11 in Los Angeles. While Ferguson is at peace with his time in the UFC, he can't help but feel bitter about some of the things that happened – including being stripped of his interim title when he withdrew from his title bout against Khabib Nurmagomedov at UFC 223 after blowing out his knee in a freak accident. 'I have fought for f*cking, I don't know how many years waiting for a championship and then getting it and then having it taken and then dangling in front of me again. Like what? What do you think I am? I'm a human being,' Ferguson said. 'I'm not trying to b*tch and moan. I'm a tough motherf*cker, and I'm a human being, but at least if you do this to me, you're not going to feel bad for doing it to the next person. And then there's a lawsuit, and there's other things, but that's not what I'm focused on. My focus is always to what? Keep the sport moving.'
