White: UFC 274 loss wouldn't lead to Ferguson being cut

Tony Ferguson poses during weigh-ins for UFC 274 at the Arizona Federal Theatre. Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Dana White: UFC 274 loss wouldn't lead to Tony Ferguson being cut

Originally posted on Sportsnaut | By Jason Burgos | Last updated 5/7/22

Even though a loss at UFC 274 on Saturday night would be a fourth-straight for Tony Ferguson, his boss Dana White says the former UFC lightweight champion’s job isn’t in danger if he comes up short again inside Phoenix’s Footprint Center.

Ferguson is one of the most popular fighters in the UFC’s talent-rich lightweight division. His unusual personality, unbreakable will and unorthodox fight style have earned him a legion of supporters that look forward to his upcoming bouts. However, “El Cucuy” is mired in one of the most difficult times of his 14-year career.

After winning 12-straight, the 38-year-old is in the midst of his first losing streak. What has made his three consecutive losses all the more unsettling is he was dominated in all of those scraps. His performances have not been on the level fans are used to, and it has made many wonder if a defeat to Michael Chandler could mean the end of his time in the UFC.

While he has not looked like himself in his last three bouts, there is something to be said about the competition he has faced in that time. His recent defeats have come to the division’s current top contender, Justin Gaethje, the reigning champion Charles Oliveira and a fighter in the top-five of the Sportsnaut UFC lightweight rankings in Beneil Dariush.

That level of competition and his violent fight style are the reasons why UFC president Dana White recently said that Tony Ferguson’s spot on the roster is not on shaky ground if he loses at UFC 274.

“He’s still the No. 7 ranked guy in the [UFC rankings], you know what I mean? So he’s still in the top-10. He’s still in the top-15, still one of the most elite fighters in the world,” White said during a Friday conversation with TMZ Sports. “If you look at who he’s fought, he’s fought everybody. No, I wouldn’t say he’s fighting for his UFC life … Tony Ferguson is one of those guys who always brings it, always comes to fight.”

Ferguson is not ranked in Sportsnaut’s UFC lightweight rankings. However, his opponent on Saturday, Chandler, is sixth in our top-10. Ferguson has not won a fight inside the Octagon since a technical knockout win over Donald Cerrone in June of 2019.

This article first appeared on Sportsnaut and was syndicated with permission.

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