Tony Ferguson Sets UFC Record with Eighth Consecutive Loss

Former UFC interim champion Tony Ferguson has set a new record for consecutive defeats in the Octagon.

Ferguson (25-10) suffered a submission loss to Michael Chiesa in the first round of their welterweight bout at UFC Fight Night on Saturday, August 3 2024 in Abu Dhabi.

This marked Ferguson’s eighth loss in a row, surpassing the previous record of seven held by BJ Penn.

Immediately after the bout, the 40-year-old Ferguson removed his gloves, a symbolic gesture of retirement.

However, he stopped short of officially retiring, telling UFC cameras, “It ain’t time, I got s— to work on.”

Ferguson was once considered one of the best fighters in the world. In 2020, he was supposed to face Khabib Nurmagomedov in what would have been one of the most anticipated lightweight title fights of all time, but the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted those plans.

Ferguson ultimately fought Justin Gaethje for an interim title and lost via TKO in the fifth round.

“I don’t want to retire. I really don’t. But I love the UFC and I don’t want to go anywhere else,” Ferguson said. “So, I’m not going to put both gloves down. I’m going to put one and I’m going to keep the other one just in case.”

The California-based veteran has never looked the same since the Gaethje loss. He went on to lose lopsided fights to top lightweights, including Charles Oliveira, Beneil Dariush, and Michael Chandler.

He suffered a submission loss to Nate Diaz in a legends fight in 2022, followed by two more losses to Bobby Green and Paddy Pimblett.

Ferguson’s recent struggles have raised questions about his future in the sport, but his determination to keep fighting suggests he is not ready to call it quits just yet.