UFC icon Tony Ferguson faced a formidable challenge in his latest bout against Paddy Pimblett at UFC 296. Despite showcasing moments of brilliance, the judges rendered a unanimous decision against Ferguson.
This loss marked his seventh consecutive defeat. Notable names like Michael Chandler, Nate Diaz, and Justin Gaethje had previously added to his streak of setbacks.
After succumbing to Paddy, the urge for Tony Ferguson to retire echoed among fans. However, this wasn’t the first time he had encountered such sentiments.
Addressing the retirement topic on Rampage Jackson’s Jaxxon Podcast, the former lightweight champion expressed his unwavering determination.
Ferguson disclosed that retirement suggestions were not limited to fan sentiments. Former UFC champion Brock Lesnar who had coached him during TUF 13, made a compelling call for him to consider hanging up his gloves.
Reflecting on his time with Lesnar, Ferguson shared: “Coach was cool as f*ck. I’ve got a lot of coaches man. I’m going to be real man, it’s like coach Jackson here. I don’t know any different, it’s always make the grade to play and have people that want you to do it, I don’t know anybody else, but for me it’s different. I still keep in contact with coach [Lesnar].”
Recalling Lesnar’s candid advice after a fight four matches ago, Ferguson stated: “He said, after one of my fights, I think four fights ago, ‘You should think about retiring’. coach Brock [said it], he was just real. The coolest thing he would always say to me is “Save your money, pay your taxes.” After every fight, nothing like ‘Good job’, no, ‘Save your money, pay your taxes’. Like, alright, coach.”
In the same interview, Ferguson proudly claimed his status as a Hall of Famer and reiterated his commitment to the sport.
He said: “I’m already a f*cking Hall of Famer, man. They already f*cking know it, and you know what? I’m not retiring. Anytime I get hurt, I come back with a f*cking vengeance because, like I said, you need a slap in that face in order to do it because the only person that’s going to do it is ourselves… Nobody is going to tell us what the f*ck to do. I’m going to fight until the wheels fall off. F*ck retiring dude.”
Ferguson talked about his internal drive to persevere in the face of adversity, firmly rejecting external pressures to step away from the octagon.