was Tony Ferguson ever that good?

[KOPPE]

Let's breakdown Tony Ferguson's overrated win streak

• First 5 bunch of nobodies
• • Mike Rio (1-4 in UFC)
  • Kantsunori Kikuno (2-3 in UFC)
  • Danny Castillo (7-7 in UFC)
  • Abel Trujillo (6-4-1 in UFC)
• Josh Thomson who loss 5 out of last 9 and on two fight losing streak going into the fight
  
  
• Edson Barboza 3-2 on last 5 fights going into the fight. But still notable win
  
  
• A Nobody debuting in UFC (currently 4-5-2 in UFC)
  
  
• Decision win over RDA who just got TKO'd by Alvarez
  
  
• Kevin fookin' Lee
  
  
• Washed Pettis and Cerrone
  

Notable wins: RDA, FW Baboza, Kevin Lee (???)


Tony did not dominate those fighters with ease by any stretch of the imagination
he had an excellent run due to an amazingly tough chin, ability to absorb damage plus excellent ground game and cardio...
but he always looked very beatable even in his prime.
i personally always thought Tony was way overrated
no denying he had some incredibly entertaining fights but he's faced a lot of adversity in them, took damage and looked beatable. not to mention the resume itself doesn't necessarily include the top guys in the division.
his first fight against a real top 5 guy (Justin) I think he was severely exposed against the top of the division.
The Gaethje fight showed what would happen if somebody took away Ferguson's weapons and how he lacked the ability to adapt.

people will blame the two weight cuts or his age but it really isn't that. Whether it's Justin, Dustin, or even Conor I see all these fights going the same way and Tony potentially being KO'd as there's no way his chin will continue to hold up.
i think hes not as good as his fans make him out to be. Still a good fighter and I don’t know why people act like it’s an impossible thing to admit both.

 

[filthynumber1]

 

[Jfreemandrums]

I think he had the style to beat Khabib

He was dangerous everywhere, creative on the feet and crafty on the mat. Cardio for days. Not afraid to take risks. Would likely have beaten guys like Chandler and Poirier when he was at top form imo

 

[Goosemen]

He was good but even his prime the Top 5 at LW today beats him.

Justin destroyed him.

Khabib and Islam would just take him like a rag doll down and end him if Dariush and Olivera could control him like that on the ground.

 

[RedBrickCigarette]

That's 1 ugly son of a gun

 

[Luthien]

He was fun to watch

 

[Aarkan]

He suffers in the overall top wins area, but he was still great
A fighter with a amazing chin, cardio and skills in bjj, basically a LW max holloway (with ground skills)
Some of his wins definitely aged bad tho, specially kevin lee and pettis

 

[Jesus H. Sherdog]

TS you said this:

“he had an excellent run due to an amazingly tough chin, ability to absorb damage plus excellent ground game and cardio...”

Sounds good to me. You don’t have to be an all time great or champion to have been a great fighter.

 

[EJRMAN513]

I hate this place sometimes

 

[ferrisjso]

He's in the overrated, underrated belt where someone was a little overrated but then the community overcorrects and they become underrated. We got to remember he gave Justin G a hell of a fight on short notice during Covid.

He was overrated because he didn't fight many elite opponents but that's true of every elite LW in that era due to a hostile leprechuan holding up the division including Khabib who only got to fight elite opponents his last few fights.

 

[Arrrrgh]

Yes, he was.

 

[DOMMA]

 

[fedorthegoat777]

Yes, he was that good.
Maybe he could have beat Khabib in his prime.

Khabib sure wasn't eager to fight him. He retired after a couple tough fights and made sure Tony wasn't one of them.

 

[Krokodil]

His style is very entertaining, and his work ethic seems to be ridiculous. That being said, he was never in the neighborhood of beating Khabib.

 

[fedorthegoat777]

That's 1 ugly son of a gun

Yes.
Built to fight, not model.

 

[Steve Fox]

His biggest mistake was to fight Gaethje after abusing on the weight cut. That shit broke him forever.
..and yes, he was quite good, elite.

 

[kingmob6]

He won 12 in a row. No matter what level of competition was in-front of him, that is impressive in a deep LW division. Tony was an animal, but always had holes in his game. He would be easy work for Khabib even in his prime, which again doesn't take away from the fact that he was a stud.

 

[Azor]

I know people say the fight against Justin "he looked terrible" but I should remind you, he almost had Justin beat. If this didn't happen at the end of a round, I know Tony woulda just went for the finish.



Justin was definitely the better fighter this night, but it's hard to recall seeing him get dropped like that and then go to cover up, instead of fire back.

 

[genecop]

He was good, but cursed with a style that relied on toughness, and had a short prime..

 

[humdizzle]

he was good. definitely at least deserved a title fight. even if khabib would have owned him.

his wins haven't aged well though.