Personal Information
Full Name | Anthony Armand Ferguson Padilla |
Date of Birth | February 11, 1984 |
Nationality | American |
Height | 6 ft |
Weight | 170 lb (77 kg) |
Nickname | El Cucuy |
Tony Ferguson: A Brief Biography
Latest News Update for Tony Ferguson
After yet another defeat, Tony Ferguson needs to seriously consider his future in the UFC. Originally meant to fight Li Jingliang in the co-main, the UFC offered a last-minute change of plan. As such, Tony was given the chance to fight in the main event of UFC 279 against Nate Diaz.
For the most part, Tony did well. He kept the fight competitive and fought some close rounds. Not to forget, this was also El Cucuy’s welterweight debut. However, Ferguson began slowing down by Round 4, eventually succumbing to a guillotine choke from Nate.
Tony "El Cucuy" Ferguson is a former UFC Interim Lightweight Champion with a professional MMA record of 28-wins and 8 losses. He is currently unranked in the UFC lightweight division and holds the record for the longest win streak in the UFC at Lightweight (12 wins).
Tony Ferguson Facts
Birth Place | Oxnard, California, U.S. |
Father’s Name | Ferguson |
Mother’s Name | Mary Padilla |
Star Sign | Aquarius |
Net Worth (2023) | $3 Million |
Last Fight Earnings | $971,000 |
Age | 39 |
Education | Muskegon Catholic Central High School/ Central Michigan University/ Grand Valley State University/ Muskegon Community College |
MMA Debut | 2008 |
MMA Record | 28-8-0 |
Achievements | Interim UFC Lightweight Champion |
Partner | Cristina Servin |
Children | Armand Anthony |
Endorsements | RDX Sports, Monster |
Early Life and Career
Tony Ferguson started his Combat Sports journey in high school, where he was a three-time All-State selection in wrestling and won in 2002 in the 152lbs (68.94 kg) division.
In college, Ferguson became an NCWA national wrestling champion in the 162lbs (73.48) division. He left college early to live with his family in California, where he joined a local gym and decided to pursue a professional MMA career.
Ferguson made his professional debut in April 2008 against Steve Avalos at CXF- Anarchy. He won the fight in the second round via TKO (submission to punches). Following this victory, Ferguson would go on to accumulate a professional record of 10 wins and 2-losse2 losses come the PureCombat Welterweight Champion before joining the UFC as a participant in The Ultimate Fighter: Team Lesnar vs. Team dos Santos.
Tony Ferguson's Ultimate Fighter
Tony Ferguson was a participant in The Ultimate Fighter: Team Lesnar vs. Team dos Santos. He would be the third pick for Team Lesnar and would dominate the season.
Ferguson defeated Justin Edwards via knockout in the first round to advance to the quarterfinals, where he faced Ryan Mcgillivray. Ferguson again won by a TKO in the first round to book a semi-final berth against Chuck O'Neil. Ferguson won via TKO in the third round. Tony knocked out Ramsey Nijem in the finals in the first round and won The Ultimate Fighter and got a UFC contract.
Tony Ferguson UFC
Ferguson defeated Aaron Riley via TKO (Jaw injury) in his UFC debut at UFC 135. He followed this up by defeating Yves Edwards before losing against Michael Jonson at UFC on Fox 3.
After this loss, Ferguson would go on a record 12-fight win streak. He defeated the likes of Edson Barboza, Rafael dos Anjos, Anthony Pettis, and Donald Cerrone before getting a title shot at the UFC Lightweight Championship at UFC 249 against Khabib Nurmagomedov. However, Khabib pulled out of the fight and, Ferguson fought Gaethje for the UFC Interim Lightweight Championship instead.
Ferguson lost the fight against Gaethje in the fifth round via TKO (punch). After the fight, he lost decisively against Charles Oliveira and Beneil Dariush and is currently on a 5-fight losing streak.
Ferguson Career Stats
Current Status:
Tony Ferguson's record stands at 25-8-0. He is a former UFC Interim Lightweight Champion.
Matches | Wins | Loses | Draws |
33 | 25 | 8 | 0 |
Wins by Submission:
- 8
Wins by Decision:
- 5
Wins by Knockouts:
- 12
Current Titles:
- None
Reach:
- 72 in (183cm)
Weight:
- 155 lb / 70 kg
Weight Class:
- Lightweight
Tony Ferguson Record
Given below is the professional MMA record of Tony Ferguson:
Result | Record | Opponent | Method | Event | Date |
Loss | 25-8 | Nate Diaz | Submission(guillotine choke) | UFC 279 | 10/09/2022 |
Loss | 25-7 | Michael Chandler | KO (front kick) | UFC 274 | 7/05/2022 |
Loss | 25-6 | Beneil Dariush | Decision (unanimous) | UFC 262 | 15/05/2021 |
Loss | 25-5 | Charles Oliveira | Decision (unanimous) | UFC 256 | 12/12/2020 |
Loss | 25–4 | Justin Gaethje | TKO (punches) | UFC 249 | 09/05/2020 |
Win | 25–3 | Donald Cerrone | TKO (doctor stoppage) | UFC 238 | 08/06/2019 |
Win | 24–3 | Anthony Pettis | TKO (corner stoppage) | UFC 229 | 06/10/2018 |
Win | 23–3 | Kevin Lee | Submission (triangle choke) | UFC 216 | 07/10/2017 |
Win | 22–3 | Rafael dos Anjos | Decision (unanimous) | The Ultimate Fighter Latin America 3 Finale: dos Anjos vs. Ferguson | 05/11/2016 |
Win | 21–3 | Lando Vannata | Submission (D'Arce choke) | UFC Fight Night: McDonald vs. Lineker | 13/07/2016 |
Win | 20–3 | Edson Barboza | Submission (D'Arce choke) | The Ultimate Fighter: Team McGregor vs. Team Faber Finale | 11/12/2015 |
Win | 19–3 | Josh Thomson | Decision (unanimous) | UFC Fight Night: Mir vs. Duffee | 15/07/2015 |
Win | 18–3 | Gleison Tibau | Submission (rear-naked choke) | UFC 184 | 28/02/2015 |
Win | 17–3 | Abel Trujillo | Submission (rear-naked choke) | UFC 181 | 06/12/2014 |
Win | 16–3 | Danny Castillo | Decision (split) | UFC 177 | 30/08/2014 |
Win | 15–3 | Katsunori Kikuno | KO (punch) | UFC 173 | 24/05/2014 |
Win | 14–3 | Mike Rio | Submission (D'Arce choke) | UFC 166 | 19/10/2013 |
Loss | 13–3 | Michael Johnson | Decision (unanimous) | UFC on Fox: Diaz vs. Miller | 05/05/2012 |
Win | 13–2 | Yves Edwards | Decision (unanimous) | The Ultimate Fighter: Team Bisping vs. Team Miller Finale | December 3, 2011 |
Win | 12–2 | Aaron Riley | TKO (doctor stoppage) | UFC 135 | 24/09/2011 |
Win | 11–2 | Ramsey Nijem | KO (punch) | The Ultimate Fighter: Team Lesnar vs. Team dos Santos Finale | 04/06/2011 |
Win | 10–2 | Brock Jardine | TKO (punches) | PureCombat 12: Champions for Children | 25/09/2010 |
Win | 9–2 | David Gardner | TKO (punches) | CA Fight Syndicate: Battle of the 805 | 26/03/2010 |
Win | 8–2 | Chris Kennedy | TKO (doctor stoppage) | National Fight Alliance MMA: Resurrection | 18/12/2009 |
Loss | 7–2 | Jamie Toney | Technical Submission (triangle choke) | National Fight Alliance MMA: MMA at the Hyatt 3 | 16/10/2009 |
Win | 7–1 | James Fanshier | Decision (unanimous) | Rebel Fighter | 17/07/2009 |
Win | 6–1 | Devin Benjamin | TKO (punches and elbows) | National Fight Alliance MMA: MMA at the Hyatt II | 28/05/2009 |
Win | 5–1 | Daniel Hernandez | TKO (punches) | National Fight Alliance MMA: Riot at the Hyatt | 05/03/2009 |
Loss | 4–1 | Karen Darabedyan | Decision (unanimous) | All Star Boxing: Caged in the Cannon | 06/02/2009 |
Win | 4–0 | Frank Park | Submission (mounted triangle armbar) | Long Beach Fight Night 3 | 04/01/2009 |
Win | 3–0 | Joe Schilling | Submission (Von Flue choke) | Total Fighting Alliance 12 | 13/09/2008 |
Win | 2–0 | Brandon Adams | TKO (punches) | Total Fighting Alliance 11: Pounding at the Pyramid | 02/07/ 2008 |
Win | 1–0 | Steve Avalos | TKO (punches and elbows) | California Xtreme Fighting: Anarchy at the Arena | 12/04/2008 |
Tony Ferguson's Most Popular Fights
Tony Ferguson vs Donald Cerrone
The Lightweight bout was a part of the UFC 238 event which was held at the United Center in Chicago. Cerrone entered the cage with high confidence, Tony wasn't the less he too entered the cage with the same energy. Tony initiated the fight by checking some punches, but Cerrone worked through it and gave a fight back with three punch combo which pushed Tony away from him.
After a couple of minutes passed they both started being more involved in each with their moves. Then Cerrone started trying some high kicks onto Tony's face and some punches over the chin. Tony gave a fight back by hitting a couple of punches on Cerrone's head, both the fighters looked intense for each other that night but Tony was more dominant over Cerrone.
As round two started both the fighters were heavily bleeding on the other side Tony was in hurry to take on Cerrone at t night, So Tony landed a spinning leg kick on the face of Cerrone and punched Cerrone hardly with two punch combo which impacted visibility of Cerrone and at the end referee call it off by Tony's win via TKO (doctor stoppage).
Tony Ferguson vs Kevin Lee
After getting his first main event assignment in his previous bout against Rafael Dos Anjos, Tony Ferguson got his first title shot in another headliner when he faced the Motown Phenom Kevin Lee for the interim UFC lightweight title at the main event of UFC 216. Tony was supposed to fight Khabib at UFC 209 but after the latter was hospitalized due to weight cut issues, he settled for the interim belt against Lee.
Lee was not 100% due to his weight cut but that did not diminish Ferguson’s win. But once again, Ferguson displayed tremendous cardio, aggression, and skills to earn another stoppage win. As round one began Lee nailed Ferguson with a head kick, Lee then cracked Ferguson with a straight right. Ferguson started attacking Lee with some leg kicks.
Both the fighters looked equally dominating that night. Although Ferguson was pretty confident with his strikes. The fight went to round three where Ferguson decided to take down Lee, Ferguson started attacking Lee with strikes on his back, and he catches Lee in a triangle choke from out of nowhere and a tap-out follows. Ferguson wins the fight via Submission(triangle choke).
Tony Ferguson vs Katsunori Kikuno
Ferguson opened his UFC career with three straight wins. However, his stock took a bit of a dip after he lost to Michael Johnson. He bounced back with the submission of the night win over Mike Rio but it was his bout against Katsunori Kikuno which made everyone notice Ferguson.
El Cucuy displayed the entire striking arsenal during his four-minute destruction of Kikuno. He walked his opponent down, landed big punches from start to finish, and bloodied him before finally putting the Japanese fighter for good. With his second straight win, Ferguson’s current 12-fight winning streak officially started.
FAQs on Tony Ferguson
1. Is Tony Ferguson a BJJ belt?
he's a legitimate Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt under Eddie Bravo of 10th Planet Jiu-Jitsu.
2. Who has Tony Ferguson lost to?
He has a record of 26-8-0 whereas he has lost to Nate Diaz, Michael Chandler, Beniel Dariush Charles Oliveira, Justin Gaethje, Michael Johnson, James Tony, and Karen Darabedyan.
Last Updated on 17th February, 2023