Green, who is coming off of a controversial no-contest against Jared Gordon, is also on a losing streak, having been finished by Drew Dober and the current lightweight champion, Islam Makhachev. Both are getting old and can’t really afford another loss, making this a competitive yet bittersweet bout between former contenders for the fans.

How to watch: Order the UFC 291 PPV now to watch every fight live this Saturday night, including Dustin Poirier vs. Justin Gaethje.

How to bet: Sign up to BetUS and cash in our special sign-up offer of up to $2,500.

Betting Odds

Oddsmakers seemed to have lost faith in Ferguson due to his recent performances, putting him at a near 3-1 underdog.

• Bobby Green: -380 (BetUS)
• Tony Ferguson: +310 (BetUS)

Special Offer: Sign up to BetUS today and get an exclusive sign-up offer worth up to $2,500

Fight Breakdown

It’s hard to “break down” the fighting style of both of these men. Both are the epidemy of unorthodox fighting in their own unique ways, showing up with a different fighting style in nearly all of their bouts.

While Bobby Green’s fighting style is oriented around his boxing, it’d be unfair to give him such a one-dimensional assessment. He throws wild knees and elbows from extremely creative angles that throw off his opponents more often than not. As well as this, while he doesn’t utilize them too often, he has extremely effective side kicks that he throws both to the legs and the body, with relatively sharp accuracy. The only straightforward aspect of Green’s fighting style is his boxing, but even in an MMA setting, it’s fairly unorthodox. He throws very long-winded combinations, mixing both shots to the head and the body, while using traditional boxing head movements with techniques like well-timed pulls and pivots as well as his trademarked Philly shell.

Green’s main deficits, which haven’t seemed to resolve themselves throughout his career, have been his grappling ability off of his back, and his overeagerness to exchange in the pocket. Throughout his career, nearly every time he’s put together a solid winning streak, he’s either found himself at the tail end of a brutal knockout loss that he could have avoided, such as his fights with Poirier and Dober or dejected after fifteen minutes of being controlled by superior grapplers. As well as this, he waivers towards the later rounds of his fight, noticeably packing less heat in his punches and aggressing forwards much less. For Green to win this weekend, he needs to stay on his feet and avoid entering the pocket with someone as crazy and willing as Tony Ferguson, while maintaining a pace consistent enough to stay active for all fifteen minutes.

While Green’s fighting style is consistent enough to assess stylistically, Tony Ferguson is an entirely different can of worms. I genuinely don’t think that I’ve seen anyone as stylistically inconsistent as Ferguson, both for better and for worse. Like Green, he has a boxing base, but the BJJ, wrestling, Muay Thai, Wing Chun, aikido, and more that he throws in during his fights make him more of a wild card than anything. In some fights, he comes in looking to purely close the distance to throw elbows and body shots, like in his matches with Barboza and Pettis. For others, he opts to take a grapple-heavy approach, using his relentless pressure and his confidence off of his back to slow his opponents down, as he did with Kevin Lee. Then in some matches, he throws the manual away completely, opting for Mortal Kombat-esque sweep kicks and spontaneous iminari rolls. His fighting style is a lot like his personality, spontaneous and seemingly-random but still motivated by a specific goal.

Once again, this unorthodoxy has both helped and hindered Ferguson in the past. While forward rolls and tomahawk elbows have gotten him out of some messy exchanges in the pocket, these kinds of techniques have often made him a victim of his own hubris. He’s often shown that, once he’s likely down on the scorecards in a fight, he throws everything against the wall to finish his opponent, stepping into the pocket with devastating strikers like Justin Gaethje or shooting takedowns at renowned grapplers like Nate Diaz or Beneil Dariush. As well as this, while his cardio still seems strong relative to other competitors, he’s noticeably slowed down in the past five years in terms of speed and agility. In a lot of ways, he’s too old and too slow to be as spontaneous and unorthodox as he is, which has put him in some horrendous positions in his last five fights.

Prediction and Betting Guide

This is a tough one to pick. As bad as people think Tony’s looked in his last five, his most recent bout against Diaz showed that he still has what it takes to go with the best if he’s on point. On the other hand, Green hasn’t looked too sharp in his most recent outings either. As well as this, the brutal nature of his knockout loss to Dober and, while accidental, his headbutt no-contest against Jared Gordon raise some questions about his chin.

Objectively, it’s very difficult to pick Ferguson with where he’s at in his career, but it’s equally difficult to see a way that Green could win. He doesn’t seem to have the explosive power necessary to knock Ferguson out, and is definitely not sharp enough on the ground to submit him or control him for some rounds, so, in my opinion, his only chance to win is to get a decision against a Tony who didn’t show up at his best.

I’m not 100% ripe on it, but Ferguson’s money line at +310 seems like a solid pick if he actually shows up, but if you want a “safer” pick, go Green by decision, or better yet stay away from this fight with a ten-foot poll from a betting perspective and enjoy a historic match between two of the best lightweights of the 2010s.

Pick: Ferguson to win (+310) or Green via decision (+120)

Special Offer: Sign up to BetUS today and get an exclusive sign-up offer worth up to $2,500

The post Tony Ferguson vs. Bobby Green Prediction | UFC 291 appeared first on The Body Lock.

Ferguson, a seasoned fighter with a professional record of 25-8 MMA and 15-6 UFC, has been a prominent figure in the lightweight division for more than seven years. Having the longest win streak in UFC lightweight history under his belt, tied with Islam Makhachev for 12 consecutive victories, Ferguson has consistently displayed remarkable prowess in the cage.

However, the last few years have been tough for the 39-year-old. His latest defeat came at the hands of Nate Diaz at UFC 279, marking his fifth consecutive loss. Despite these setbacks, the 39-year-old fighter shows no signs of slowing down and is eager to return to his winning ways.

Ferguson’s bout against Diaz was filled with surprising twists and turns. Initially, Diaz was set to face Khamzat Chimaev, but when Chimaev failed to make weight, Ferguson stepped in to replace him. Despite the loss, Ferguson described the experience as a return to where he needed to be, reinforcing his love for the sport.

Ferguson has also been in the news recently due to legal issues. He was arrested earlier this month on a charge of DUI after allegedly crashing his truck into two parked cars outside a nightclub in Hollywood, Calif. Despite this setback, Ferguson is focused on his upcoming fight, an opportunity to put his personal troubles behind him.

Tony Ferguson’s Next Fight

Tony Ferguson’s next fight will be against Bobby Green, who carries a professional record of 29-14-1 MMA and 10-9-1 UFC. The bout is set to take place at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City, as announced by UFC President Dana White.

Green is an experienced fighter and no pushover, despite being winless in his last three octagon appearances. His last fight ended in a no-contest against Jared Gordon at UFC Fight Night 222 due to an accidental clash of heads. This matchup will serve as an opportunity for both fighters to prove their mettle and reignite their respective careers.

Tony Ferguson vs. Bobby Green Preview

Here’s a look at the tale of the tape before Tony Ferguson’s next fight against Bobby Green:

Looking at the tale of the tape, both Tony Ferguson and Bobby Green are well-matched in many aspects. However, a few factors may play a significant role in this upcoming bout.

One of the more noticeable differences is in their reach. Ferguson, standing at 5’11” with a reach of 76″, has a significant advantage over Green, who has a reach of 71″ at a height of 5’10”. Ferguson has enjoyed a reach advantage in many fights throughout his career and that trend will continue here at UFC 291.

Moreover, their respective records speak to their experience and success in the ring. While Green has a higher number of total fights, Ferguson has a better win-to-loss ratio, largely on the back of his impressive lightweight win streak (12).

The age factor could also be considered. Green, being two years younger, is expected to have a slight edge in terms of physical conditioning and recovery. But it’s worth noting that Ferguson has remained competitive at the highest levels into his late 30s, demonstrating his exceptional durability and conditioning.

How to Watch Tony Ferguson’s Next Fight

The UFC 291 lineup also features a high-stakes rematch between Justin Gaethje and Dustin Poirier for the BMF title. Other bouts include Jan Blachowicz vs. Alex Pereira, Paulo Costa vs. Ikram Aliskerov, and Michael Chiesa vs. Kevin Holland.

The action-packed UFC 291 event is set to be broadcast live via ESPN+ PPV. Fight fans can order the event through this link as we get closer to the fight date.

FAQ about Tony Ferguson’s Next Fight

The post Tony Ferguson’s Next Fight: Everything we know appeared first on The Body Lock.

Fight fans can watch Nate Diaz vs. Tony Ferguson, Khamzat Chimaev vs. Kevin Holland, and all other fights live tonight on ESPN+ PPV.

The main event bout between Diaz and Ferguson was a last-minute switch-up by the UFC after Diaz’s original opponent, Chimaev, failed to make the 171-pound limit for welterweight. Chimaev hit the scales 7.5 pounds over the limit and is now fighting Holland in a five-round co-main event.

Read on for live UFC results and updates from Las Vegas.

UFC 279 results

Saturday, Sept. 10 – T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas

Main Card – 10:00 pm ET / 7:00 pm PT only on ESPN+ PPV (order here)

• Nate Diaz def. Tony Ferguson via submission (guillotine choke) – R4
• Khamzat Chimaev def. Kevin Holland via submission (D’Arce choke) – R1, 2:13
• Daniel Rodriguez def. Li Jingliang via split decision (29-28, 29-28, 28-29)
• Irene Aldana def. Macy Chiasson via TKO (upkick to liver) – R1, 2:21
• Johnny Walker def. Ion Cutelaba via submission (rear-naked choke) – R1, 4:37

Prelims – 8:00 pm ET / 5:00 pm PT on ESPN+

• Julian Erosa def. Hakeem Dawodu via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
• Jailton Almeida def. Anton Turkalj via submission (rear-naked choke) – R1, 4:27
• Denis Tiuliulin def. Jamie Pickett via TKO (knee and punches) – R2, 4:52
• Chris Barnett def. Jake Collier via TKO (punches) – R2, 2:24

Early Prelims– 6:30 pm ET / 3:30 pm PT on ESPN+

• Norma Dumont def. Danyelle Wolf via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-26)
• Alateng Heili def. Chad Anheliger via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
• Elise Reed def. Melissa Martinez via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
• Yohan Lainesse def. Darian Weeks via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)

UFC 279 video highlights

Jailton Almeida making it look easy once again! #UFC279 pic.twitter.com/c5soGtsMeM

— UFC (@ufc) September 11, 2022

No judges need for Denis Tiuliulin!!! #UFC279 pic.twitter.com/QC0NnOnwSU

— UFC (@ufc) September 11, 2022

HE DID IT!!!!!!!!! #UFC279 pic.twitter.com/8ku5vD6OAu

— UFC (@ufc) September 11, 2022

The post UFC 279: Diaz vs. Ferguson fight results appeared first on The Body Lock.

It’s been a crazy 24-hour period for the UFC with a canceled press conference and now main even fighter Khamzat Chimaev missing weight before his welterweight clash with Diaz. Chimaev hit the scales 7.5 pounds over the 171-pound limit for welterweight and now finds himself facing Kevin Holland, who weighed in at 180 pounds for a catchweight clash with Daniel Rodriguez.

Ferguson was scheduled to face Li Jingliang in what would be his return bout to welterweight. Now, he’s up against Diaz in what is a considerably “easier” opponent, at least according to the betting odds. Diaz, too, finds himself in a more appealing matchup considering that he was a massive underdog in the original main event but now is considered to have a fair chance of winning this new five-round fight.

Despite the late change, our team of experts here at The Body Lock got together to provide our Diaz vs. Ferguson picks and predictions, along with a detailed breakdown of the fight before it happens on Saturday night at UFC 279.

Watch Diaz vs. Ferguson fight tonight

• Date: Saturday, Sept. 10
• Time: PPV Main Card starts at 10 pm ET, Prelims start at 6 pm ET
• Watch: ESPN+ PPV (order here)

Nate Diaz vs. Tony Ferguson is the main event of the UFC 279 PPV main card.

Fans can order UFC 279 on the ESPN+ website to watch every main card fight live, including the Diaz vs. Ferguson fight. After ordering, fans can stream every UFC 279 fight to a preferred device, including TVs, mobiles, computers, laptops, tablets, and more.

Betting Odds

Nate Diaz was a huge +750 underdog against Khamzat Chimaev, but he’s now found himself in a much more competitive fight at odds of +105 against Tony Ferguson.

• Nate Diaz: +105
• Tony Ferguson: -135

Staff Predictions

Braeden Arbour

After one of the craziest days before a UFC event in the history of MMA, we are now left with Nate Diaz taking on Tony Ferguson at UFC 279. In many ways, this is a perfect fight, and a game of inches as the two men share many similarities. Both are rangy boxers who are natural lightweights now fighting at 170lbs. Both men are known for their cardio and relentlessness rather than their one-punch speed or power. Both men are known for a slick jiu-jitsu game and submissions rather than power wrestling when it comes to their grappling. The two even share the same height and reach within a degree of half an inch making them almost virtually identical

With so much in common, it comes down to the details. For Ferguson, it’s in the elbows. He has a history of bloodying up his opponents with savage elbows and knees in the clinch and even in his guard. He throws elbows from many different angles and chains them into his boxing style very fluidly. Compared to Diaz, Ferguson excels in dirty boxing, he likes to land while controlling with a single plum or other position in which one arm is anchored to his opponent controlling posture.

Diaz, on the other hand, is moreso a pure boxer, and has sustained a tremendous amount of scar tissue over the years, leaving him even more vulnerable to get cut up by Ferguson. Diaz, while not as adept at dirty boxing, utilizes his range better than Ferguson. He throws an offbeat jab-cross and rolls underneath or leans away from counters very well. In close, he does his best if he can trap his opponent against the fence and go forehead to forehead while ripping hooks to the body and head, but unlike Ferguson, he doesn’t look to clinch.

On the mat, while both are high-level black belts, I believe Diaz has better technical grappling and control, while Ferguson’s success has largely been in his ability to snap onto submissions in any position. Diaz has a better history in controlling top position and transitioning a beat ahead of opponents, and if the two hit the floor I give Diaz a slight advantage. That being said, Ferguson should be the better wrestler, and it will be a tough task for Diaz to take him down, although once there, Ferguson is usually happy to play guard.

Ultimately this is a very good match-up for both men, it will likely be a grueling and drawn-out fight. That being said, I do think that Diaz has superior range, he has been fighting and training at welterweight longer recently, and I think unless or until Ferguson catches Diaz in a submission, Nate gets the better of the grappling exchanges.

Pick: Nate Diaz to win

Michael Pounders

Following the 48-hour whirlwind that can only be described as an unprecedented circus, we have an updated main event for UFC 279 between two legends of the sport that somehow never crossed paths until now. Many lifelong fans of the sport have been clamoring for Ferguson and Diaz to square off. Both are incredible fighters and personalities. While I, like many others, am excited about this unexpected fight, it has to be recognized that neither man is near the prime of their career.

Tony “El Cucuy” Ferguson is 38 and on a 4-fight losing streak. Meanwhile, Diaz is 37 and has lost 2 of his last 3. In their primes, Ferguson was an awkward but persistent striker with excellent cardio and an unmatched ability to walk through fire and brimstone round after round. Further, his wrestling, grappling, and famous Imanari roll made him a threat on the canvas as well. Ferguson typically won fights by outlasting and out-willing his opponents in entertaining wars where Ferguson broke opponents down often en route to a late-round finish. Lately, Ferguson has abandoned his own offensive grappling and attempted to stand toe to toe with opponents until someone drops or wrestles him.

In striking matches, Ferguson has shown to still be effective, with unique but high-level footwork, toughness, and an ability to land with pop. However, opponents have been able to wrestle Tony and control him for significant periods of the fight. While Ferguson still scrambles with explosion and attempts submissions, the end result is “El Cucuy” being taken and held down early and often. His path to victory, one we haven’t seen since 2019, is still the same when at his peak: make it a war on the feet and land on top during scrambles. But, if an opponent can land with more power and volume or offensively wrestle, Ferguson has struggled.

Diaz fought with a similar style as Tony- on the back of cardio, toughness, and abnormal striking with a sneaky submission game to add as another layer. Nate and his brother Nick, have excelled in 5 round fights because they have the cardio to not only go 5 rounds but get better the later the fight goes on. Diaz is able to rack up volume throughout a fight while absorbing a hellish amount in return without so much as batting an eye, even if that eye is bleeding profusely.

Diaz’s striking style, outside of his famous “Stockton Slap,” where he literally slaps his opponent, is varied and awkward. Diaz typically fights with his hands low and moves freely in the octagon. His low hands allow him to land a quick jab from below his opponent’s eye line, making it more accurate and difficult to defend. His footwork, which is more like casually standing and walking in contrast to traditional footwork, is awkward enough to throw the timing off his foe and further improve his accuracy and effectiveness. Diaz, who isn’t the most powerful striker, inflicts damage through his volume and pressure, death by a thousand cuts. For Diaz, finishing fights tends to happen more on the mat, through his counter jiu-jitsu rather than on the feet or through his offensive wrestling.

This fight could go a variety of ways, neither guy is at his peak and neither guy prepared for the type of fighter they are now facing. Ferguson prepared for a powerful striker who had decent wrestling chops. Meanwhile, Diaz prepared for an elite wrestler with heavy power. In this fight, it should come down to who can land the more significant damage. Neither is likely to get the finish, neither should gas out, and neither should have the edge on the mat. I like Ferguson to be the one to damage Diaz slightly more. It’s a thin margin of victory, but Ferguson’s elbows and edge in power should be enough to give him the nod in the judges’ eyes.

Pick: Tony Ferguson to win by decision

Joe Pounders

Before getting into the specific fight between Nate Diaz and Tony Ferguson, I want to discuss a few critical components of this fight. Notably, both Diaz and Ferguson were scheduled to fight different opponents – Chimaev for Diaz and Jingliang for Ferguson – but a frantic turn of events now pegs the two future HOF fighters against one another.

Beyond a shuffle of the deck, with neither fighter preparing for one another, there are additional factors at play. For starters, Tony Ferguson was training for a three-round fight; meanwhile, Diaz was training – he says he wasn’t preparing for a specific style/fighter – to face one of the hungriest and most dangerous contenders currently on the UFC roster. While the advantage seems, at first glance, to go in the favor of Diaz, given his preparation was for a five-round affair versus a hungry killer, the experience of Ferguson accompanied by him having inherently elite cardio should make this fight quite even from the jump.

Knowing the aging fighters are now facing one another, the breakdown of each, from a skill standpoint, does make for slightly easier analysis. In particular, I was originally forecasting Ferguson altering his traditional hyper-aggressive, cardio-depleting tactic to fight an uncommonly safe fight. But now that the power threat of his original opponent is not as threatening with Diaz, I fully expect Ferguson to fight exactly how his fans know him to do: hyper-aggressive, unorthodox movement and angles, razor-sharp elbows in the clinch, and ultimately, seeking for a war.

Where Ferguson is able to fight his traditional style given the somewhat weakening durability – finished in two of his last four fights, and losing 4 of his last 4 – Diaz would have and will continue to fight how Diaz fights. This style is rooted in elite cardio, underrated boxing – an occasional Stockton Slap – with frequent output, and strong grappling albeit he prefers to stand and bang. What is interesting, given the change in opponent, is that the likely strategy of using elite durability parlayed with elite cardio to weather an early storm, to then, win in the latter rounds when the younger, less proven fighter’s cardio depletes, will no longer work to the same degree in this fight. This is because Ferguson, being a future HOF and a fighter that weaponizes his cardio in his own right, understands how to go five hard rounds. While Diaz trained for a 5-round affair and Ferguson didn’t, accompanied by Diaz perhaps having one of the most historic gas tanks in the UFC, I do not foresee cardio being able to be weaponized in this fight.

Even though this belief is had, Diaz has the overall game to win, and knowing Ferguson is at the same point in their careers, I expect Diaz to have all the confidence in himself to put forth a vintage Diaz performance.

I expected both Diaz and Ferguson to lose in their original matchups, but now, I believe either can win. Moreover, I would be remiss if I did not say just how amazing it is to see these two fight one another. This is because both are elite at being unorthodox and contrary to the norm, but, what is even more interesting, both have somewhat mirroring styles.

From a logical standpoint, Diaz is perhaps the smarter bet, given he trained for a five-round affair and has fought far more frequently at the welterweight division than Ferguson has. While I say this, I still find myself backing Ferguson in this matchup. Ultimately, I believe he is that notch better on the feet while knowing both are more than good enough to keep the fight standing. In total, this fight should be a back-and-forth affair, and while I anticipate Ferguson getting the win, the only known forecast is that Diaz will bleed!

Pick: Tony Ferguson to win

The post Staff Predictions: Can Nate Diaz beat Tony Ferguson at UFC 279? appeared first on The Body Lock.

Since losing his shot at the belt, Ferguson has lost to three more contenders in a row. Fans have been quick to wonder if we have seen the last of El Cucuy’s success. That was until it was announced that Ferguson was making a drastic change, moving a weight class up and taking on Li Jingliang.

This matchup is interesting for many reasons. On the one hand, Ferguson, who was heavily out-wrestling in two of his four losses, will be now giving up a size advantage at 170lbs. His most recent loss was a brutal KO earlier this summer, and Jingliang has shown knockout ability against some of the scariest welterweights, including powerhouse Santiago Ponzinibbio. Ferguson is a slick, sharp, and creative fighter for sure, but even at lightweight physicality, power grappling, and pure power were almost never on his side.

On the other hand, the opponents who span Ferguson’s losing streak are currently ranked #1,3,5, and #6 at 155lbs. Jingliang, at #14 among welterweights, is a step down the ladder in terms of skill, at least on paper. Although Ferguson does not carry the frame of many welterweights, he is just as tall as Jingliang and will even enjoy a reach advantage.

He also proved he can perform at welterweight before he came into the UFC and actually earned his shot by winning the Ultimate Fighter at 170lbs – although, as a caveat, often the show has been riddled with undersized talent due to the tournament format.

The question “Can Ferguson revive his career at welterweight?” is a complicated one. The move poses the potential for Ferguson to bounce back, he is unpredictable as a fighter, and a massive shift like this may be perfect to get him refreshed. He has proven he can be dangerous at 170lbs, and his technical and creative skills will carry up.

However, regardless of what happens at UFC 279, the welterweight division as a whole may be an even more daunting task than lightweight was. With larger and stronger grapplers like Kamaru Usman, Gilbert Burns, and Khamzat Chimaev ready to follow in Charles Oliveira and Baniel Dariush’s blueprints. With heavy hitters like Geoff Neal and Vincente Luque ready to test Ferguson’s chin after the damage sustained against Justin Gaethje and Michael Chandler.

Going up to welterweight may refresh Tony Ferguson, and with success on Saturday, it may bring him back to the winning side. Yet, is 170lbs the place to revive his career? It’s unlikely, instead I would like to see Ferguson regain his confidence and momentum and make his return to his natural weight class once he gets back on track.

The post Can Tony Ferguson revive his career at welterweight? appeared first on The Body Lock.

His opponent, Jingliang “The Leech” Li (19-7; 11-5 in the UFC), currently ranked 14th in the welterweight division, is looking to secure a win against the future HOF Ferguson and re-begin his climb to top 10 status.

Betting Odds

Jingliang is a -300 favorite over the future HOF’er, Tony Ferguson.

• Li Jingliang: -300 (BetUS)
• Tony Ferguson: +230 (BetUS)

Fight Breakdown

Tony Ferguson was, at one time, one of the most feared fighters on the UFC roster. This was the case given he won 12 straight fights, one of which was for the interim lightweight championship. Moreover, during his impressive dominance in the UFC, Ferguson put forth performances that showcased well-rounded violence with an underlying note of elite durability in his own regard. Having a combination of inflicting severe damage while possessing the ability to wear damage oddly well signifies his fan affinity accompanied by him earning his nickname, “El Cucuay” –  The Boogeyman.

While Ferguson was an elite fighter and quite frankly, one of my personal favorites from an entertainment standpoint, age and damage have caught up to him. For starters, he is currently on a 4-fight losing streak and has been TKO/KO’d in 2 of those 4 fights – prior to these losses, Ferguson was never KO’d in his professional fight career. Beyond this alone, he has looked a step behind the elite competitors faced. While this may be able to be expected, particularly when knowing the elite competitors of the lightweight division are the elite of the elite that the UFC has, it does signify that Ferguson is not the Ferguson that so many fans perceive him to be, as such, when analyzing his future fights, the elite 12-fight winner needs to be partially removed from the analysis and more weight needs to be placed on what has been seen of recent note.

Somewhat interestingly, while Ferguson is no longer his elite self, he still seeks to fight the exact style that made him beloved by so many. This style is putting on a pace and pressure on the feet that weaponizes his cardio, and then, opens up opportunities to land razor-sharp elbows from both distance and close range. Often, when a fighter seeks to put on a pressure forward pace from the hop, they need to wear damage early to get in close and begin the cardio depletion of their respective opponent. As one can clearly forecast, when a fighter’s age begins to climb, the style of wearing punches early to find success later in the fight is a dangerous strategy to employ.

And, for Ferguson, this dangerous strategy has proved to be catastrophic, as evidenced by him wearing a worldwide trending up-kick KO by Michael Chandler in his last fight. While Ferguson is as seasoned of a professional as you can get, suffering such a severe loss in his last fight does beg the question if he will deviate away from his traditional style to fight a bit safer. The benefit of doing so is extending his durability throughout the duration of the fight, but the consequence may be a lack of ability to weaponize his elite cardio, which, in turn, may mitigate his ability to land effective and damaging strikes that are rooted in precision over power.

Throwing with razor-sharp precision contrary to all-out power may be seen for Ferguson, but, is far from how Jinglang chooses to fight. Instead, Jingliang elects to blend a traditional wrestle-boxing style with that simply loving to stay in the pocket and exchange leather. For context, a wrestle-boxer is one that primarily seeks to wrestle their way to a victory, but, understands that punches on the feet will assist in securing a takedown. Continually, a fighter that employs this style often has the ability to swing with haymaking blows on the feet because an overhand seamlessly leads to a takedown, and, if they overextend where the opponent shoots, they are completely comfortable creating, and winning, a scramble. While the categorical name, “wrestle-boxer”, may not be commonly stated in the community, the breakdown of this self-identified brand of fighter is seen throughout MMA, and the fighters who employ it at the highest levels are often quite successful.

Jingliang employs this style by throwing massive overhand rights into a takedown attempt, and his threatening power parlayed with underrated athleticism – seen within grappling – makes it quite successful for him. But, the reason why Jingliang has had inconsistent performances at times in his tenured UFC career is that he often foregoes wrestling given he has such an affinity for fighting. Having a joint problematic affinity for fighting in the pocket is shared between him and Ferguson, making for a highly entertaining matchup. And, even if the fight turns into a grappling affair, the stark difference in skill between Jingliang being strong in an offensive position contrary to him being somewhat poor on his back makes for a highly entertaining situation if a scramble ensues. Ultimately, if Jingliang can keep himself off his back, him being closer to his prime accompanied with having the power and size advantage should allow him to fight as comfortably of a fight as one can do against the always unpredictable Ferguson.

Prediction

Every ounce of my being wants to believe Ferguson has something left in the tank to beat legitimate ranked fighters, whether it be in the lightweight or welterweight division. But, as I stated earlier in the analysis, it is unwise to remember what Ferguson was in the past when forecasting the future, as he is far more of what he has shown in his last 4 fights contrary to what was seen in his 12-fight win streak. Given I believe Ferguson is close to done – I don’t want to say he is – parlayed with knowing Jingliang is a legitimate ranked welterweight fighter, I am backing Jingliang in this fight. Ultimately, I expect Jingliang to crack Ferguson coming in early in the fight, and if the overhand doesn’t put Tony down, then I expect Jingliang to stuff a few last-ditch takedown attempts, to then, eventually land that fight-ending blow.

Bet: Jingliang by KO

The post Prediction: Tony Ferguson vs. Jingliang Li | UFC 279 appeared first on The Body Lock.

After a difficult run at lightweight as of late with four straight losses, Ferguson and his camp have made the decision to move up to welterweight. “El Cucuy” actually earned his spot in the UFC by winning The Ultimate Fighter welterweight tournament in 2011, so it will be a homecoming for the former interim champ.

However, the odds are stacked against his triumphant return, with Ferguson opening as a +235 underdog. Jingliang, the favorite, opened at -275. MyBookie currently has the pair at +209 for Ferguson and -277 for Jingliang.

This means that a $100 wager on the American could return $209 in profit, but it will require $277 to potentially win $100 on the fighter from China.

While Jingliang has jumped between wins and losses in his last five fights, he is, of course, coming off of one of his best performances with a knockout over Muslim Salikhov in July. With devastating finishing ability like that, fans will look forward to finding out if Ferguson can turn his skid around or if he will struggle with the new size and power of the division.

Here are the opening odds for the pair’s last five fights:

Tony Ferguson’s last five fights

• vs. Michael Chandler (L): +135
• vs. Beniel Dariush (L): -125
• vs. Charles Oliveira (L): -130
• vs. Justin Gaethje (L): -180
• vs. Donald Cerrone (W): -245

Li Jingliang’s last five fights

• vs. Muslim Salikhov (W): +120
• vs. Khamzat Chimaev (L): +210
• vs. Santiago Ponzinibbio (W): +235
• vs. Neil Magny (L): -270
• vs. Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos (W): +205

The post UFC 279 Odds: Tony Ferguson opens as big underdog against Li Jingliang appeared first on The Body Lock.

Chandler is now ranked #6 after consecutive defeats against Charles Oliveira and Justin Gaethje. He’s now 1-2 in the promotion following his brilliant first-round knockout victory against Dan Hooker at UFC 257 and then later falling short in his title challenge against Oliveira in May 2015. He’ll now defend his #6 spot in the rankings against the man ranked one spot below him, Tony Ferguson.

Like Chandler, Ferguson has failed to secure a victory in his most recent fights. Ferguson is now winless since June 2016, when he defeated Donald Cerrone via doctor stoppage. His latest defeats came at the hands of Justin Gaethje, Charles Oliveira, and Beneil Dariush.

This Saturday night, Chandler vs. Ferguson is a featured bout on the UFC 274 PPV main card. Fight fans can watch Chandler vs. Ferguson live stream online by ordering the event via the official ESPN+ website.

Betting Odds

The latest Michael Chandler vs. Tony Ferguson betting odds show Chandler as a significant betting favorite before UFC 274. Ferguson, a huge underdog, will enter at odds of +290.

• Chandler: -380
• Ferguson: +290

Staff Predictions

Braeden Arbour

At the current points in their careers, this is a very high stakes fight for both Chandler and Ferguson, who desperately need a win. Michael Chandler came into the sport just three fights ago ready to prove he was both one of the most exciting and the highest level of talent yet to grace the UFC, and while he has obviously proved both, it’s the record that eludes him. He has to be prepared to sacrifice some excitement in this matchup, after all three of his UFC fights so far no one is questioning his star potential, but in order to even out his 1-2 UFC record he has to lean on his wrestling and minimize risk.

Michael Chandler is one of MMA’s best examples of carrying the fundamentals to the highest levels. He sticks to the basics, two to three punch combinations, rarely throws anything flashy like high kicks and he is an explosive power wrestler who doesn’t engage in overly complicated grappling transitions chasing submissions other than scrambles. However, it’s his insane physical talents, namely his explosiveness, that allows him to ride this strategy so far, although sometimes becoming predictable, he makes up for it because even when his opponents know what to expect, it’s a totally different animal to stop. On the feet, Chandler uses explosive in and out movement, he uses his jab to make reads on how and where his opponents slip and weave in order to set up his power shots, namely his overhangs and hooks. By comparison, Ferguson is anything but predictable, he does not have the same power or speed that chandler does but an awkward flow allows him to hide his shots behind movement and his weapons come from far more angles and directions. For Ferguson, the elements of his game that he has to highlight in this matchup are his leg kicks, as Chandler explodes off the front leg so often, his elbows and jab, he doesn’t have the same power but Ferguson is a master at cutting and opening up visual damage on his opponents with slicing shots and accuracy. The third is his volume, although Ferguson does not necessarily have a major cardio advantage over Chandler, the difference is in the length of combinations, because Chandler is such a quick and explosive fighter, his punches come in short bursts, while Ferguson’s pace allows for 6-7 strikes at a time. Chandler has been clipped on the end of exchanges because while he retreats his opponent is continuing on, and so it’s imperative that Ferguson looks for the final shots when they engage.

Seemingly in Ferguson’s last two fights, Charles Oliveira and Beniel Dariush set up a blueprint to beating Tony Ferguson with top control. In order for Chandler to get Ferguson to this area, he has to look to pin Ferguson with a tight waist, chest or high double leg before taking him down as given space as with the case of single legs, Ferguson scrambles and rolls out of positions in unusually chaotic ways. However, best exemplified by Dariush, by taking Ferguson down with techniques where he could land immediately controlling Ferguson’s upper body and avoiding butterfly hooks or high guard allowed him to solidify control over Ferguson safely. On top, rather than posturing up and giving Ferguson room to play his rubber guard, elbow from the bottom or set up submissions and/or sweep, Dariush dug his head into Ferguson’s chest and punched over his shoulder. It’s more awkward and isn’t as offensively effective but it negates Ferguson’s guard and strikes from the bottom to a degree where it’s extremely frustrating and a safe bet.

Ferguson is always dangerous, but the game plan required to beat him has been highlighted recently. It’s going to take massive discipline in order to follow it as any opportunity to create space offers Ferguson a chance to win. In order to come out on top, Chandler has to maintain mental composure and not entertain the idea of a war as he has in the recent past, but it’s absolutely in the cards for him.

Prediction: Michael Chandler to win

Michael Pounders

Once a champion in Bellator, Michael “Iron” Chandler entered the UFC at a high level and has faced only the top of the division. In those three fights, Chandler is 1-2 with a finish win, a finish loss, and a decision loss in an absolute war. I bring up his record to demonstrate Chandler as a fighter. He is gifted and fundamental. On the feet, Chandler has enormous power and sets his big shots up with a carefree style. Said another way, Chandler is willing to eat a heavy shot to land one of his own. He has 4 knockout losses on his record, but I wouldn’t categorize him as “chinny.” Instead, the reason for his knockout losses is his unwillingness to ever stop. Chandler has elite cardio and a desire to get into a fight. He will continue moving forward, throwing heavy strikes, and forgoing defense in favor of his own offense even if taking a strategic break is the right move. This style makes him a fan-favorite but has cost him in some fights. Beyond his strike for strike style on the feet, Chandler is a highly credentialed and successful wrestler. He was a D1 All-American wrestler in college and has translated that success into the octagon. While he has only attempted 2 takedowns in the UFC, in Bellator, Chandler found success exploding into a double leg attempt, aggressively getting the fight to the mat, and mauling his opponent for the finish. Then, once on the mat, Chandler has shown the intelligence and defense awareness that his standup striking sometimes lacks. He rarely gives up position and has never been submitted. No matter where the fight happens, Chandler will use his power, athleticism, and constant offense to relentlessly hunt the finish.

Prime Tony “El Cucuy” Ferguson and current Tony “El Cucuy” Ferguson are, unfortunately, not the same fighter. In his prime, Tony was lethal in all areas of the fight, never stopped coming forward, was impossible to finish, weaponized his weirdness by attacking from odd angles and off-beat rhythms, and was thought to be the fighter that would give Khabib the closest fight. Now, at 38, since his ACL tear and countless wars, Tony simply isn’t the same fighter. He is still talented in all areas, continually moves forward, is one of the toughest fighters in the division, and finds odd attacks at odd times; but, he seems to have taken a step back in all areas. Most notably, Ferguson has been controlled on the mat for extended minutes of a round in back to back fights. Historically, Ferguson was a brilliant wrestler and grappler who was as difficult as he was dangerous to hold down. Now, Ferguson has struggled in scrambles and has not found a secured a submission win since 2017. On the feet, Tony will bounce in and out of range, look to land an unorthodox shot on the off-beat rhythm. Historically he would land with heavy power and razor sharp elbows. Now, implementing the same attacks, his power has lessened and his elbows have dulled. The best version of Tony Ferguson was a world beater and the fighter no one wanted to fight. Unfortunately, now, his best remaining attributes are his top-notch cardio and toughness, he doesn’t have an ounce of quit in him.

Prime vs prime, I take Tony in this fight. But, in 2022, Chandler is the faster, more dangerous, and more consistent fighter. He should be able to tag Tony on the feet, eat the counter shots, land takedowns regularly, and control long periods of the fight on the mat. Ferguson will relentlessly look for submissions from his back, but, Chandler has the experience and intellect to negate them. Because of Ferguson’s cardio, output, and toughness, I don’t think Chandler will find the finish but I do anticipate a one-sided affair.

Prediction: Michael Chandler to win by decision

Joe Pounders

Tony Ferguson is the most unorthodox fighter in the UFC. This statement rationalizes the danger he still possesses at this stage of his fight career, as although he is perceived to be well past his prime, he still has the ability to land creative strikes that land from an unusual angle – a recipe for damage and fight-ending potential.

Knowing Tony will have unusual strikes is a key component when breaking him down as a fighter, as his uniqueness correlates to not knowing precisely what he plans on doing. With this preface made, there are some fundamental components that consistently show up each time he enters the octagon. Firstly, Tony has razor-sharp elbows that are thrown from a variety of angles that net him the largest chance of landing cleanly. If indeed his elbows land cleanly, the probability that the elbow strike will create a severe cut is quite high. Secondly, Tony has a renowned wrestling background that has seamlessly translated to him having sound offensive grappling that is accompanied by an elite submission game. This second point of wrestling is important to note, as Tony has brought in his former collegiate wrestling coach to aid in his training leading up to this fight. Moreover, Tony often neglects his wrestling given he loves to fight in brawl-type wars, so, knowing he is training wrestling now more than ever, it is likely that he will look to wrestle the former Missouri All-American.

Knowing his opponent is an elite wrestler himself, the anticipatory success for Tony is likely minimal, so, he will likely have to chain his grappling off of his striking. Although the striking game of elbows and unorthodox combinations is a major asset, the speed, power, and success Tony has had in the stand-up game has greatly dissipated in his recent fights. So, similar to other recent bouts against elite contenders, Tony may once again find himself a step behind throughout the duration of the fight.

Michael Chandler embodies danger. The muscle-packed 155’er combines elite athleticism with severe power that makes him a challenge for any, yes, any, lightweight. To see the severe threat Chandler brings to the octagon, one need not look any further than the title fight against Charles Oliveira. In that fight, Chandler clocked Oliveira in the first and nearly secured a KO finish to win him the belt. Although Chandler fell just short of becoming champion, he showed not only does he have the power needed, but also, the defensive ground game as he used a next-level athletic burst to get out of a choke Oliveira nearly secured. This fight, in conjuncture with his decision loss to Justin Gaethje combating the chin concern of Chandler, results in him being viewed as a fighter who has all the tools necessary to contend for the belt in the near future.

Personally, Tony Ferguson got me into the UFC and I will forever be in his metaphorical corner, but, in this fight, Chandler should have no trouble winning the fight. Chandler’s elite power, strong grappling, and being more “in his prime” rationalizes my belief in him winning the fight quite convincingly. So, I expect Chandler to explode at the heavy-pressure Tony will put on, and knowing Tony’s movement is not what it once was, I expect Chandler to land his heavy, explode-type strikes with efficiency and damage. Moreover, I do not expect Tony to find success wrestling the former All-American, so I believe Tony will become frustrated and find it difficult to find a sustained tactic to net him success. With all that said, Tony has shown an out-of-this-world chin, even against the hardest-hitting lightweight in Justin Gaethje. So, although the damage will be there from Chandler, I still believe Tony will stay standing and I know he will never quit in the octagon. Thus, I am picking Chandler by decision.

Bet: Michael Chandler to win by decision

The post UFC 274: Michael Chandler vs. Tony Ferguson staff predictions, odds, picks appeared first on The Body Lock.

Ferguson’s impressive 12-fight winning streak in the lightweight division came to an end last year after suffering a fifth-round TKO defeat to Gaethje in the UFC 249 headliner in May.

“El Cucuy” notably took over 100 significant strikes to the head until his body couldn’t take no more. He returned to action at UFC 256 last month against Charles Oliveira with many eager to see how he would respond to his first defeat since 2012.

However, Ferguson would end up getting dominated by Oliveira over three rounds on his way to a unanimous decision defeat.

As a result, many observers — including some of his own fans — believe Ferguson is done at the highest level.

Not Gaethje. However, he never felt Ferguson was an elite lightweight to begin with, either.

“I mean, Tony has always been that man,” Gaethje told ESPN when asked if he thought he was done. “Guys constantly went in there and fought in the chaos and refused to create space. I don’t know why, [Anthony] Pettis and [Donald] Cerrone, these guys weren’t able to do what I did. But I think that was there the whole time.

“Fans not being there really helped, stayed focus, keep everything internal. That’s a huge factor when you’re fighting Tony because just his face alone makes you wanna fight. I don’t think he’s done by any means, I just don’t think he’s an elite lightweight. I don’t think he ever was. I just think his skills were really effective in the way people were fighting him.”

That doesn’t mean Gaethje is playing down Oliveira’s win over Ferguson.

That said, like Nurmagomedov stated last year, Gaethje believes no fighter will be the same after taking the damage Ferguson took at his hands.

“I was impressed with Oliveira but yeah, I don’t want to take anything away from him but Tony was not the same person,” Gaethje added. “No one’s going to be the same person after you get hit in the face that many times. Ever.

“You fight with less confidence and his confidence is something that made him so dangerous and his lack of confidence now is going to be a factor.”

You can watch the full interview below:

The post Justin Gaethje doesn’t believe Tony Ferguson is done but says he was never ‘elite’ appeared first on The Body Lock.

McGregor returns to action at UFC 257 on January 23 when he faces Dustin Poirier in a lightweight rematch.

McGregor recently spoke of his desire to remain active in the lightweight division after the Poirier fight as he never had the chance to do so, especially in comparison to his featherweight stint.

And that means facing all the top contenders in the division.

“Every single one of them, John. I’ll go through every single one of them back-to-back,” McGregor said in an appearance on the Weighing In podcast. “And I have no qualms with who it is. I’m happy for [Dan] Hooker and [Michael] Chandler in the co-main event. I know they’re very excited for it, I know they’re both eager to put on a show and make a statement. I’m very excited to see how that bout goes. I wish both men well. If they’re next, they’re next.

“Obviously, you’ve got [Justin] Gaethje and [Charles] Oliveira in the mix as well. They may be competing also, I’m excited about that. I want them all to be honest, John. Every single one of them. I also heard the other day Dana had an interview with The Mac Life and he was saying about Nate Diaz coming back down to 155 pounds. That would be also pretty amazing for us to keep the trilogy at lightweight possibly for a title.”

Of course, one fight many wanted to see in the past was McGregor vs. Tony Ferguson.

Ferguson notably had issues with McGregor stemming from their time together at Paradigm with the former claiming he was mismanaged by the management company in addition to being owed $500,000 for not being given a fight with the Irishman.

And while many are counting Ferguson out following his recent two-fight losing streak, it’s still a fight that interests McGregor.

“There are many exciting things. I don’t overlook guys that maybe had a little bit of slip in the division also because it happens in this game,” McGregor added. “I look at the likes of Tony Ferguson, I still think he’s a solid fighter.

“There’s a lot of things that have gone on between myself and Tony regarding the management situation over the years. I would be open to a Tony Ferguson bout also. And if the other guy [Khabib Nurmagomedov] has the balls to come back and step in, if he stops running away, we are here for that also.”

You can watch the full interview below:

The post Conor McGregor excited to face lightweight contenders, open to Tony Ferguson fight appeared first on The Body Lock.