Ferguson, Werdum get in heated argument
Fabricio Werdum: “Shut your mouth, you f***ing f**got. Don’t talk to me like that, that’s not how it works.”
Lightweight Tony Ferguson and heavyweight Fabricio Werdum recently took part in a UFC 216 media luncheon. Ferguson fights Kevin Lee in the main event, while Werdum fights Derrick Lewis on the main card.
At one point Werdum spoke over Ferguson, who protested. An argument erupted in a mix of English, Spanish, and Portuguese, that unfortunately included the curse word “Maricon.” It means f**got, which is no longer acceptable in public discourse, and it is particularly problematic in combat sports. On March 23, 1962, prior to their weigh-in, world welterweight boxing championship Benny Paret taunted challenge Emile Griffin by calling him “Maricon.” The next day Griffith beat him to death.
Guilherme Cruz for MMA Fighting provided a transcript of the exchange.
Hold on, I’m talking, brother, said Ferguson to Werdum.
Werdum then replied in Portuguese, repeating “F*** you” several times. That sparked an exchange in Spanish.
Ferguson: When I’m talking you shut your mouth.”
Werdum: Shut your mouth, you f***ing f**got. Don’t talk to me like that, that’s not how it works. You can talk like that to your division but with me you can’t talk like that f**got.
UFC PR man Chris Costello then separated the two. And Ferguson had the last words.
“Have fun fighting on my undercard,” he said, adding “Bye, Felicia.”
Ferguson later detailed his side of the altercation.
I don’t give two f***s, he said. I just came down from a mountain. I don’t want to be around people that bring me down. This is my s***, man. This is my f***ing time. Don’t talk over me. Because when you were in that spot, I gave you the time and the energy for it. I let you be. Don’t be rude. It’s just rude, man.
I just don’t like the guy and I don’t like his manager [Ali Abdel-Aziz]. I don’t like fake people. I can read right through people. Like I told you, I’m a good judge of character. Now that we’ve got that out of the way … I told everybody, I was like, ‘Don’t put him next to me. Don’t put me next to a guy that’s managed by him.’ I don’t like that s***.
UFC 216: Ferguson vs. Lee will be held on October 7, 2017 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
