Tony Ferguson is the next B.J. Penn, but not in a good way
Tony Ferguson and B.J. Penn are two legendary lightweights who bear certain similarities. In the prime of their careers, both men were known as ultra-violent strikers with elite-level Brazilian jiu-jitsu skills. Furthermore, they shared a frightening mentality when it came to inflicting pain on others.
They both had rivalries with well-regarded wrestlers in the UFC, with 'The Prodigy' feuding with Georges St-Pierre, to whom he lost twice. Meanwhile, Tony Ferguson's long-lasting feud with Khabib Nurmagomedov needs no introduction. The only difference is he never faced Nurmagomedov, despite countless attempts.
Both Penn and Ferguson also captured UFC lightweight gold, with the Hawaiian being an undisputed champion, and 'El Cucuy' being an interim titleholder. Unfortunately, their career paths have diverged, as Ferguson's recent downward spiral seems to mirror Penn's decline.
Comparing Tony Ferguson's losing streak to B.J. Penn's
B.J. Penn retired with an 8-fight winless streak, consisting of one draw and seven consecutive losses. One of those defeats included a submission loss, the first of his career. What's more concerning is how quickly the former UFC lightweight champion's decline began.
Between 2008 and 2010, B.J. Penn took competed for nothing but titles, besides a single non-title fight with legendary welterweight Matt Hughes. During this stretch, 'The Prodigy' scored five wins and lost thrice, but those losses were to Georges St-Pierre, arguably the GOAT of the sport, and Frankie Edgar (2x) in his prime.
But from 2011 onwards, Penn went from being a constant fixture in the lightweight title scene to a sudden losing streak that lasted 8 years and saw him taste defeat in seven consecutive fights. Tony Ferguson is now on a similar career trajectory after spending so many years as an elite 155-pounder.
After building a 12-fight win streak, during which Tony Ferguson became the UFC interim lightweight champion, 'El Cucuy' had a life-changing bout against future 'BMF' champion Justin Gaethje in another interim title fight. Unfortunately, the matchup was a one-sided beating that likely took years off Ferguson's career.
The loss to Gaethje began a decline from which Ferguson has not recovered. He went from a 12-fight win streak to now being on a six-fight losing streak, during which he suffered the first knockout loss of his career, similar to how B.J. Penn suffered the first submission loss of his career during his own decline.
Despite his impressive career and achievements as a UFC lightweight, Tony Ferguson is no longer a divisional regular in the top five. Now, he is an unranked fighter that even the likes of Dan Hooker find it insulting to be matched up with him due to Ferguson's position, or lack thereof, in the lightweight rankings.
With Tony Ferguson's recent submission loss to Boby Green, of all people, who isn't known for being an elite grappler, there are now finally calls for 'El Cucuy' to retire. But of course, he is unlikely to walk away from the sport, just as B.J. Penn refused to until he was given no choice.
Tony Ferguson and B.J. Penn have the same mentality
During their peak, Tony Ferguson and B.J. Penn shared a similar outlook. Both men had an inclination for the more violent side of MMA. 'El Cucuy' often sliced his opponents open with his patented elbows, leaving them bloodied and looking like car-crash victims.
Meanwhile, B.J. Penn infamously expressed his desire to kill Sean Sherk and has even licked blood off his own gloves. These are the kinds of theatrics that would make Tony Ferguson proud. Only a violent eccentric can appreciate another violent eccentric.
However, the startling similarities between their respective mentalities are also seen in how they both handled their losing streaks. 'The Prodigy,' for example, often tried to downplay his rough patch, all while reiterating his love for the sport and his desire to continue competing.
This is similar to Tony Ferguson's take on his own losing streak. He has made several attempts at downplaying his losses, whether it's by dismissing Charles Oliveira as a wet blanket, claiming to be in the prime of his career ahead of his bout with Bobby Green, and trying to undercut his submission loss to him.
He has also ignored all calls for him to retire and is still under the belief that he can mount another run at the lightweight title. It seems that, as was the case with B.J. Penn, Tony Ferguson might only stop fighting after the UFC releases him from the promotion. But even then, there's no guarantee.
There's no telling what will become of 'El Cucuy,' but it's likely that he'll be used by the promotion as a recognizable name for promising up-and-coming fighters to use as a launching pad for their careers. While some fans hope that Ferguson will retire before such a fate befalls him, it's unlikely.
Fighters are often the last ones to realize that they should retire, and in more extreme cases, they never do.