“That would be a nostalgic fight” - Chael Sonnen on the ideal opponent for Tony Ferguson in his potential welterweight return
Chael Sonnen has put forth his take on UFC lightweight legend Tony Ferguson potentially returning to the welterweight division. In the aftermath of his second-round KO loss against Michael Chandler at UFC 274 earlier this month, Ferguson stated he's considering a return to welterweight for his next fight.
In an edition of Beyond the Fight, Sonnen addressed this and proposed a welterweight dream matchup between Ferguson and MMA megastar Nate Diaz. Sonnen stated:
“Now, if Tony was to go to a 170 pounds and I have a magic wand, what do I do with him? Boom. Nate Diaz. Solve the problem right away. That would be a very big fight. That would be an interesting fight. That would be a nostalgic fight. Like, that would serve all the boxes for what we wanted to see as fans.”
Sonnen indicated that while a Nate Diaz matchup would be intriguing irrespective of the opponent, the nostalgia factor adds an additional layer of intrigue to him fighting Ferguson.
Moreover, ‘The Bad Guy’ opined that Ferguson and Diaz have the same style. Sonnen pointed out they’re dangerous in both the striking and grappling realms of MMA.
“And if you like Nate Diaz, and I know that you do, then you have to like Tony Ferguson. But if you like Tony Ferguson, and I know you do, you have to like Nate Diaz. They’re the same guy.”
Alternatively, Sonnen noted that Ferguson could fight Jorge Masvidal or Conor McGregor at welterweight. He later insinuated that perhaps Ferguson could even fight Dustin Poirier, as the latter’s currently looking for an opponent at lightweight or welterweight.
Watch Chael Sonnen address Tony Ferguson’s possible return to welterweight below:
Tony Ferguson responds to Dana White advising him to take a break from fighting
Following Ferguson’s KO loss at UFC 274, UFC president Dana White claimed that ‘El Cucuy’ would probably be better off spending some time away from fighting. Speaking to MMA Junkie, Ferguson disagreed with White and said:
"F*** no! Check this out - If you have an investor, like a venture capitalist, do you think you're gonna sit there and let your businesses just sit there and float? Absolutely not! You're gonna sit there and you're gonna get back to work. You're gonna do the numbers and you're gonna make sure you make the good adjustments."
Furthermore, Ferguson emphasized that he’d like to face Dustin Poirier in his next fight. ‘El Cucuy’ added that he’d also be open to fighting Nick Diaz and Nate Diaz in a celebrity boxing match.
@DustinPoirier @TomSmit70961532 You’re Better At Hiding Kid, No Offense. I got KO’d but at least we showed up & did work. https://t.co/bacMwahFxn
Watch the interview below: