Tony Ferguson

Anthony Armand Ferguson Padilla (born February 12, 1984) is an American professional mixed martial artist and professional boxer, and is the current MFB Middleweight Champion. As a mixed martial artist, he is a former Interim UFC Lightweight Champion. A professional since 2008, he was signed to the UFC from his The Ultimate Fighter 13 win in 2011 until his departure in 2024. He is regarded as one of the greatest fighters never to have won an undisputed belt.

Early life and education Ferguson was born in Oxnard, California, on February 12, 1984, but grew up mainly in Muskegon, Michigan. He is of Mexican heritage. His surname of Ferguson comes from his Scottish American stepfather.

Ferguson was a three-sport athlete at Muskegon Catholic Central High School in American football, baseball, and wrestling. He was a starting defensive back for the 2000 Division 8 state football champions and was a three-time All-State selection in wrestling, winning the 152-lb division in 2002.

After high school, Ferguson enrolled at Central Michigan University before transferring to Grand Valley State University. He also did a stint at Muskegon Community College. He did not complete his degree, but had a successful collegiate wrestling career, winning the 2006 National Collegiate Wrestling Association national wrestling championship in the 165-lb division.

The Ultimate Fighter Ferguson applied to compete in the UFC's reality series The Ultimate Fighter multiple times. In 2010, he was finally accepted to compete in season 13 of the series after amassing a 10–2 professional record and winning the welterweight championship in PureCombat. He competed as a welterweight on The Ultimate Fighter: Team Lesnar vs. Team dos Santos.

Ferguson was selected as the third pick for Team Lesnar. In his first fight, Ferguson defeated Justin Edwards by knockout in the first round. He next faced Ryan McGillivray in the quarterfinals and won by a TKO in the first round. He then faced Chuck O'Neil in the semifinals and won by TKO in the third round to advance to the final.

Ultimate Fighting Championship Ferguson officially made his UFC debut at the Ultimate Fighter 13 Finale against Ramsey Nijem to determine the winner of The Ultimate Fighter 13. Ferguson defeated Nijem by knockout in the first round to win a UFC contract. He also received a $40,000 Knockout of the Night bonus.

Following his debut, Ferguson returned to lightweight and faced Aaron Riley on September 24, 2011, at UFC 135. The fight was stopped after the first round after Riley said he had a broken jaw, resulting in a TKO victory for Ferguson.

Ferguson then faced MMA veteran Yves Edwards at the Ultimate Fighter 14 Finale. Ferguson won via unanimous decision (30–27, 30–27, and 29–28).

Ferguson was expected to face Dennis Hallman on May 5, 2012, at UFC on Fox: Diaz vs. Miller. Hallman pulled out of the bout with an injury and replaced by Thiago Tavares. Then, Tavares was forced out of the bout with an injury and replaced by Michael Johnson. Ferguson lost the fight by unanimous decision.

Win streak After over a year away from competition while healing an arm injury incurred in his last fight, Ferguson returned to face Mike Rio on October 19, 2013, at UFC 166 which was the beginning of his twelve fight win streak. He won by D'Arce choke submission in the first round. The win also earned him his first Submission of the Night award, valued at $60,000.

Ferguson faced Katsunori Kikuno on May 24, 2014, at UFC 173. He won the fight by knockout in the first round.

Ferguson was expected to face Danny Castillo on August 2, 2014, at UFC 176. After UFC 176 was cancelled, Castillo/Ferguson was rescheduled and took place on August 30, 2014, at UFC 177. Ferguson won the fight via split decision.

Ferguson faced Abel Trujillo on December 6, 2014, at UFC 181. Ferguson won the bout in the second round by submission.

Ferguson was expected to face Yancy Medeiros on February 28, 2015, at UFC 184. Medeiros pulled out of the bout, citing injury, and was replaced by Gleison Tibau. Ferguson won the fight by submission in the first round which also earned him a Performance of the Night bonus.

Ferguson faced Josh Thomson on July 15, 2015, at UFC Fight Night 71. He won the fight via unanimous decision (30–27, 30–27, and 30–26) and earned his second straight Performance of the Night bonus.

Ferguson was expected to face Khabib Nurmagomedov on December 11, 2015, at the Ultimate Fighter 22 Finale. Nurmagomedov pulled out of the fight in late October, citing injury, and was replaced by Edson Barboza. After a back-and-forth first round that had Ferguson docked one point due to an illegal upkick, Ferguson finished Barboza with a D'Arce choke submission in the second round. He earned his third consecutive Performance of the Night bonus as well as a Fight of the Night bonus.

A rematch with Michael Johnson was briefly scheduled for March 5, 2016, at UFC 196. On January 27, it was announced that Johnson withdrew from the bout due to injury. In turn, the bout with Nurmagomedov was rescheduled and expected take place on April 16, 2016, at UFC on Fox 19. On April 5, Ferguson pulled out of the bout due to a lung issue. He was replaced by promotional newcomer Darrell Horcher.

Ferguson was expected to face Michael Chiesa on July 13, 2016, at UFC Fight Night 91. Chiesa pulled out of the fight on June 27, citing injury, and was replaced by promotional newcomer Lando Vannata. Ferguson won his second straight fight via D'Arce choke and was awarded another Fight of the Night bonus.

Ferguson fought former champion Rafael dos Anjos on November 5, 2016, at the Ultimate Fighter Latin America 3 Finale. He won the fight by unanimous decision. Both participants were awarded Fight of the Night, which gave Ferguson his sixth post-fight bonus in his past five fights.

The pairing with Nurmagomedov was scheduled for a third time at UFC 209, this time for the interim UFC Lightweight Championship. Prior to the weigh-ins for the event, Nurmagomedov was hospitalized due to the ill effects of his weight cut, and the bout was cancelled yet again.

Ferguson faced Kevin Lee on October 7, 2017, at UFC 216 for the interim UFC Lightweight Championship. He won the bout by triangle choke submission in the third round. A bout with Nurmagomedov had been scheduled for the fourth time on April 7, 2018, at UFC 223. On April 1, 2018, Ferguson reportedly tore his fibular collateral ligament while walking on the set for a pre-fight media obligation and was forced to withdraw from the event.

Ferguson faced Anthony Pettis on October 6, 2018, at UFC 229. He won the bout via corner stoppage after two rounds. Pettis' longtime cornerman and coach, Duke Roufus, informed the referee that he would not continue after suffering a broken hand. Their performance earned both participants Fight of the Night honors.

Ferguson next faced Donald Cerrone on June 8, 2019, at UFC 238. He won the fight via TKO due to a doctor stoppage after Cerrone blew his nose between rounds 2 & 3 which caused his swollen right eye to completely close, rendering him unable to continue. This fight earned both participants Fight of the Night honors.

Losing streak Ferguson was scheduled to face Khabib Nurmagomedov for the UFC Lightweight Championship on April 18, 2020, at UFC 249, however the fight was canceled after Nurmagomedov was unable to leave Russia due to restricted air travel as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. Ferguson then agreed to compete for the Interim UFC Lightweight Championship against a late replacement in Justin Gaethje at the event. On April 9, UFC president Dana White announced that this event was postponed and the bout eventually took place on May 9, 2020. He was outstruck by Gaethje for all five rounds, eventually losing the fight via TKO in the fifth round. This fight earned both participants Fight of the Night honors.

Ferguson faced Charles Oliveira on December 12, 2020, at UFC 256. He lost the fight via unanimous decision after being dominated and controlled on the ground for most of the fight.

Ferguson faced Beneil Dariush on May 15, 2021, at UFC 262. He lost the fight via unanimous decision being once again controlled on the ground for the majority of the fight.

Ferguson faced former Bellator Lightweight Champion Michael Chandler on May 7, 2022 at UFC 274. Despite a strong first round, Ferguson lost the fight via knockout early in the second round.

Ferguson was scheduled to return to the welterweight division to face Li Jingliang on September 10, 2022, in the co-main event of UFC 279. However, Ferguson instead moved up to the main event to face Nate Diaz, after his original opponent Khamzat Chimaev was pulled from their fight due to missing weight. Ferguson lost the fight via a guillotine choke submission in the fourth round.

Ferguson returned to the lightweight division to face King Green at UFC 291 on July 29, 2023. He lost the fight via technical submission due to an arm-triangle choke in the final seconds of the third round.

Ferguson faced Paddy Pimblett on December 16, 2023, at UFC 296. He lost the fight via unanimous decision.

Ferguson faced Michael Chiesa in a welterweight bout on August 3, 2024 at UFC on ABC 7. He lost the fight via a rear-naked choke submission in the first round. With this eighth consecutive loss, Ferguson surpassed B.J. Penn and now holds the record for the longest losing streak in UFC history.

Global Fight League On January 24, 2025, it was announced that Ferguson had parted ways with the UFC and signed with the Global Fight League.

Ferguson was drafted by the GFL's Team Los Angeles the same day his signing was announced. He was scheduled to face Dillon Danis on May 25, 2025 at GFL 2. However, the first two GFL events were postponed indefinitely.

Boxing career In January 2025, Ferguson was among names for a potential boxing bout against English megastar KSI after his bout with English footballer Wayne Bridge fell through. Ferguson revealed he turned down the offer to face Dillon Danis on the then announced GFL event in May.

Ferguson vs Papi

On July 5, 2025, Ferguson stated that he had a bout in boxing scheduled for August 30. Two weeks later, it was announced that Ferguson would face Filipino influencer Salt Papi for the MFB interim middleweight title, headlining Misfits 22 – Ring of Thrones alongside Darren Till vs Luke Rockhold at the Manchester Arena in Manchester, England. Ferguson won the championship by technical knockout in the third round.

Ferguson vs Spencer On November 4, Misfits Boxing co-president Mams Taylor announced that Ferguson would be returning to the ring in December to unify his interim title on the Misfits Mania – The Fight Before Christmas undercard. On November 19, the bout was announced for December 20 at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium in Dubai, UAE against Isle of Man influencer Warren Spencer. On November 22, Taylor confirmed during an X Space that the MFB middleweight champion, Saudi influencer AnEsonGib, had relinquish his title therefore making his bout with Spencer now set for the vacant MFB middleweight championship. He defeated Spencer via unanimous decision (49–45, 49–45, 48–46).

Freestyle wrestling career

Ferguson signed with Real American Freestyle (RAF) on April 30, 2026.

He lost to Arman Tsarukyan by technical fall in the co-main event of RAF 10 on June 13, 2026.

Personal life Ferguson has two sons with his wife, Cristina Ferguson. In March 2019, Cristina filed a temporary restraining order against Tony in Orange County, California, alleging uncharacteristic behavior including severe paranoia, prolonged sleep deprivation, destruction of their home fireplace, and beliefs that a tracking chip had been inserted into his leg during reconstructive knee surgery. According to court filings reported by multiple media outlets, she also stated that Ferguson had taken their son from the family home for several days without her consent, and that police had been called to their residence on multiple occasions over the preceding months.

She did not allege physical abuse, and later stated that the filing was intended as a precautionary measure to encourage him to seek help for his mental state. He then began to resume MMA.

In the early hours of May 7, 2023, Ferguson was arrested in Hollywood, California and charged with driving under the influence after allegedly crashing his pickup truck into two other vehicles outside of a nightclub, causing his truck to roll over in the process. He was taken into custody and booked into the LAPD Hollywood police station where his bail was set at $30,000. He was later released from custody on a personal recognizance bond.

Fighting style Ferguson is known for his well-rounded style which includes unorthodox striking, exceptional cardio, sharp elbows, and proficiency in D'Arce chokes. During his peak, he achieved a 12-fight winning streak, finishing nine of his opponents. His aggressive fighting style, particularly his use of elbows, often left opponents bloodied and contributed to six "Fight of the Night" bonuses.

Public appearance and cultural influences Ferguson is known as one of MMA's most eccentric personalities. He constructed his own custom training apparatus at his house in Big Bear Lake, California and regularly posts videos of his unique workouts on his personal Instagram page. These include smacking his arms and legs against metal poles to build bone strength, throwing baseballs off a pitcher's mound to build power, and somersault jumps over tall stacks of gym mats.

Championships and accomplishments Amateur wrestling National Collegiate Wrestling Association Tied (Donald Cerrone, Dustin Poirier & Islam Makhachev) for fifth most finishes in UFC Lightweight division history (10) Seventh most significant strikes landed in UFC Lightweight division history (1221) UFC.com Awards 2011: Ranked #3 Newcomer of the Year 2015: Ranked #9 Fighter of the Year, Ranked #5 Submission of the Year & Ranked #3 Fight of the Year 2016: Ranked #9 Fight of the Year 2018: Ranked #5 Fight of the Year 2019: Ranked #9 Fight of the Year 2020: Ranked #6 Fight of the Year PureCombat PureCombat Welterweight Championship (One time) MMA Fighting 2010s #10 Ranked Fighter of the Decade ESPN 2018 Fight of the Year World MMA Awards 2018 Fight of the Year vs. Anthony Pettis at UFC 229 CBS Sports 2018 #2 Ranked UFC Fight of the Year MMA Junkie 2015 #5 Ranked Fight of the Year

Boxing

Interim Misfits Boxing Middleweight Championship (One time) MFB Middleweight Championship (One Time) Prime Fighter of the Night (One time)

Misfits Boxing Awards 2025: Best Redemption (nominated), Fight of the Year (nominated)

Mixed martial arts record Loss

Michael Chiesa Submission (rear-naked choke) UFC on ABC: Sandhagen vs. Nurmagomedov

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates Loss

Paddy Pimblett Decision (unanimous) UFC 296

Las Vegas, Nevada, United States Loss

King Green Technical Submission (arm-triangle choke) UFC 291

Salt Lake City, Utah, United States Loss

Nate Diaz Submission (guillotine choke) UFC 279

Las Vegas, Nevada, United States Loss

Michael Chandler KO (front kick) UFC 274

Phoenix, Arizona, United States Loss

Beneil Dariush Decision (unanimous) UFC 262

Houston, Texas, United States Loss

Charles Oliveira Decision (unanimous) UFC 256

Las Vegas, Nevada, United States Loss

Justin Gaethje TKO (punch) UFC 249

Jacksonville, Florida, United States Win

Donald Cerrone TKO (doctor stoppage) UFC 238

Chicago, Illinois, United States Win

Anthony Pettis TKO (corner stoppage) UFC 229

Las Vegas, Nevada, United States Win

Kevin Lee Submission (triangle choke) UFC 216

Las Vegas, Nevada, United States Win

Rafael dos Anjos Decision (unanimous) The Ultimate Fighter Latin America 3 Finale: dos Anjos vs. Ferguson

Mexico City, Mexico Win

Lando Vannata Submission (brabo choke) UFC Fight Night: McDonald vs. Lineker

Sioux Falls, South Dakota, United States Win

Edson Barboza Submission (brabo choke) The Ultimate Fighter: Team McGregor vs. Team Faber Finale

Las Vegas, Nevada, United States Win

Josh Thomson Decision (unanimous) UFC Fight Night: Mir vs. Duffee

San Diego, California, United States Win

Gleison Tibau Submission (rear-naked choke) UFC 184

Los Angeles, California, United States Win

Abel Trujillo Submission (rear-naked choke) UFC 181

Las Vegas, Nevada, United States Win

Danny Castillo Decision (split) UFC 177

Sacramento, California, United States Win

Katsunori Kikuno KO (punch) UFC 173

Las Vegas, Nevada, United States Win

Mike Rio Submission (brabo choke) UFC 166

Houston, Texas, United States Loss

Michael Johnson Decision (unanimous) UFC on Fox: Diaz vs. Miller

East Rutherford, New Jersey, United States Win

Yves Edwards Decision (unanimous) The Ultimate Fighter: Team Bisping vs. Team Miller Finale

Las Vegas, Nevada, United States Win

Aaron Riley TKO (jaw injury) UFC 135

Denver, Colorado, United States Win

Ramsey Nijem KO (punches) The Ultimate Fighter: Team Lesnar vs. Team dos Santos Finale

Las Vegas, Nevada, United States Win

Brock Jardine TKO (punches) PureCombat 12: Champions for Children

Clovis, California, United States Win

David Gardner TKO (punches) CA Fight Syndicate: Battle of the 805

Ventura, California, United States Win

Chris Kennedy TKO (doctor stoppage) National Fight Alliance MMA: Resurrection

Ventura, California, United States Loss

Jamie Toney Submission (triangle choke) National Fight Alliance MMA: MMA at the Hyatt 3

Westlake Village, California, United States Win

James Fanshier Decision (unanimous) Rebel Fighter

Placerville, California, United States Win

Devin Benjamin TKO (punches and elbows) National Fight Alliance MMA: MMA at the Hyatt II

Westlake Village, California, United States Win

Daniel Hernandez TKO (punches) National Fight Alliance MMA: Riot at the Hyatt

Westlake Village, California, United States Loss

Karen Darabedyan Decision (unanimous) All Star Boxing: Caged in the Cannon

Montebello, California, United States Win

Frank Park Submission (neck crank) Long Beach Fight Night 3

Long Beach, California, United States Win

Joe Schilling Submission (rear-naked choke) Total Fighting Alliance 12

Long Beach, California, United States Win

Brandon Adams TKO (punches) Total Fighting Alliance 11: Pounding at the Pyramid

Long Beach, California, United States Win

Steve Avalos TKO (submission to punches) California Xtreme Fighting: Anarchy at the Arena

Upland, California, United States

Mixed martial arts exhibition record Win

Chuck O'Neil TKO (punches)

(airdate)

Win

Ryan McGillivray TKO (punches) (airdate)

Win

Justin Edwards KO (upkick) (airdate)

Freestyle wrestling record Freestyle matches Res. Record Opponent Score Date Event LocationLoss 0–1 Arman TsarukyanTF 0-10June 13, 2026RAF 10: Chimaev vs. Danis St. Louis, Missouri

Boxing record Professional

MF–Professional

Pay-per-view bouts MMA

Boxing