Ferguson On Brock Lesnar’s Influence

Tony Ferguson says he sought out former UFC and WWE Heavyweight Champion Brock Lesnar’s advice after his UFC departure.

Ferguson lost to Michael Chiesa last year, which was his eighth loss on the spin. He subsequently transitioned into Misfits Boxing. In August, Ferguson secured a TKO victory over influencer Salt Papi, capturing the middleweight belt. Ferguson is set to defend his Misfits Boxing Middleweight Championship this Saturday in Dubai against Warren Spencer.

He knows a win secures him back-to-back victories for the first time since his 12-fight winning streak peaked in 2019 against Donald Cerrone at UFC 238. The connection between Ferguson and Lesnar dates back over a decade to Season 13 of The Ultimate Fighter, where Lesnar served as Ferguson’s head coach. Ferguson revealed how Lesnar told him to follow a new passion with the same intensity as he did with the UFC. 

“I asked coach Brock, I said coach what do guys like us do when we retire? I value his opinion and he said ‘you know what Tony, find your second passion and follow that with everything you’ve got like you did your first.’Sports is my passion. I love sports. I love competing. I love competing at a high level, a very high level,” Ferguson said

Should He Retire?

Ferguson’s greatest strength—his durability—has become his greatest liability. Tony relied on his ability to absorb life-altering damage to find a finish. Statistical show he has absorbed hundreds of significant strikes in “Fight of the Night” wars, most notably the UFC 249 beating from Justin Gaethje, which many analysts cite as the moment his “chin” and speed permanently cracked.

Combat sports history is littered with legends who stayed too long (e.g., BJ Penn). Continuing to fight, even in influencer boxing, exposes him to more punishment. Even in his Misfits debut against Salt Papi, Ferguson was rocked by a heavy left hook early in the fight. While he rallied to win, his ability to take a shot is not the same.