Tony Ferguson: F@$% you, pay me

Former UFC interim champion Tony Ferguson appeared recently on The Ariel Helwani Show, and talked past and future. TFerg was supposed to fight Dustin Poirier int he co-main event of UFC 254, right before lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. interim champ Justin Gaethje. But Poirier withdrew in a disagreement over compensation.

The UFC offered Ferguson a relatively short notice fight vs. newly signed, former three-time Bellator MMA champion Michael Chandler. UFC president Dana White said Ferguson went dark on him; El Cucuy confirmed it.

I don’t do Joe Rogan podcast, and I don’t pick up Dana’s phone calls, said Ferguson. Because I’m too busy working, or trying to make my life better from the s*** that I had to go through. So pardon me, f*** everybody else.

Bro, we’re not friends. I never said we were friends. It’s just business, right? I’m there when you need me, and obviously when you don’t. I’m a contractor man, but I’m not just a piece of meat. It’s not just about knowing your value. I’m ready to step up to the plate.

I hear that they’re needing a main event. There’s one in November [UFC 255 on 11/21 at the APEX] and one in December [UFC 256 on 12/12 at TBS]. My agent said we’re fine to fight, but we want to discuss pay because of the opponent change. I always told the UFC I’m in. I’m good with the fights, so let’s make it happen.

Now Chandler will serve as back up for for Nurmagomedov vs. Poirier.

Now you’re going to bring in a new dude who I have no clue who this dude is, said Ferguson. From a marketing standpoint, dude has less than 100k on Twitter. You’re going to try him more notoriety by throwing him against me and throwing him on the Khabib card. I get it. But don’t pay him more than us. He has zero time in the UFC.

Everybody wants me to fight Khabib, right? Ferguson said. Yeah, But I’ve got to earn my right back. OK, cool. Who’s it going to be? It is going to be Dustin? Or is it going to be Chandler? I don’t give a f***.

I said it was a tournament. Now you’re adding in people. Alright, cool. Here we go again. Today marks the celebration, right? Yeah, Khabib and McGregor. F*** them. That wouldn’t have happened unless they stripped my belt. So, f*** you. Pay me instead of this f***ing clown.

Justin Gaethje, you’re f***ing welcome you have a belt, son. I guarantee, I’m going to tell you to go get my belt, because your ass is going to get whipped, and I’m coming for it. So both you and ‘fathead’ [Nurmagomedov], this is a message for both knuckleheads: my mat, my time.