Video: Tony Ferguson calls for Michael Chandler fight at UFC 256

Esther Lin, MMA Fighting Tony Ferguson is looking for a fight.
The former interim lightweight champion sent out a strong message on Saturday asking for a showdown with Michael Chandler at the upcoming UFC 256 card on Dec. 12 in Las Vegas.
“I’m not used to saying I have a chip on my shoulder but dammit, I want to compete. I’m tired of sitting on the sidelines,” Ferguson said in a video he released.
“You need somebody that’s going to push the cards before the end of the new year. You’ve got [Michael] Chandler right? Chandler for December. Boom, line him up. I’m here and I’m waiting. I’m f**king tired of waiting. I’m here, I’m able, I’m capable. They’re calling me back to come back and save the f**king show. Let’s go. My team and I, we’re ready to go. I don’t give a f**k who’s on the other side of me. I see that there needs to be something that happens in December. Here we go.”
UFC 256 recent took a hit after two-division UFC champion Amanda Nunes was forced out of her main event fight with Megan Anderson. A second title fight between Petr Yan and Aljamain Sterling is also scheduled for Dec. 12, although the UFC hasn’t made any announcements regarding a new main event.
Meanwhile, Chandler signed with the UFC earlier this year as a free agent after spending the majority of his career in Bellator MMA where he was a multi-time lightweight champion.
He served as backup to the recent lightweight title fight between Khabib Nurmagomedov and Justin Gaethje but obviously his services were ultimately not needed.
Since that time, Chandler has been asking for a top five ranked opponent with Ferguson at the top of his list. With Conor McGregor scheduled to face Dustin Poirier in January, Ferguson vs. Chandler seemed like the fight that would make the most sense for the division.
In the long term, Ferguson says he’s still waiting for the chance to share the cage with Nurmagomedov, who he’s been scheduled to face five times in the past. Sadly, injuries, weight cutting problems and the coronavirus pandemic prevented those fights from happening.
While Nurmagomedov announced his retirement following a win over Gaethje in October, UFC president Dana White has said that he believes the undefeated Russian will return to action again.
Until it’s no longer an option, Ferguson wants that fight and he sees Chandler as the fastest path to that eventual goal.
“Congratulations to Khabib on [the win over Gaethje] but at the end of the day, I still want to fight that motherf**ker,” Ferguson said. “So whatever’s going to get me there fastest. So if I’ve got to kick Chandler’s ass in order to get there quicker. Let’s go.”
“December, I hear [Ferguson] needs a card. UFC, I’m right here. The D’arce Knight rises to come save the day again.”


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