‘He Couldn’t Stop the Takedowns’- Dana White Opens Up on Tony Ferguson’s Loss to Beneil Dariush at UFC 262

UFC President Dana White sat down with the media post-fight following UFC 262 and had plenty of thoughts to share. The card produced some memorable moments, including the induction of a new undisputed lightweight champion. Furthermore, the co-main event saw the next chapter of the shocking yet definitive decline of Tony Ferguson, who has now lost three straight fights.

Beneil Dariush, who came in as the number 9 ranked fighter, may leave Houston with Ferguson’s fifth spot. He won out 30-27 on all scorecards and showed that he was a dominant force on the ground. He was able to be dominant in places where fans thought Ferguson would have the upper hand. In the second round, Dariush even had ‘El Cucuy’ in a tight heel hook submission.

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Dana White examines Tony Ferguson’s decline

White reviewed Beneil Dariush’s domination over Tony Ferguson and concluded that Ferguson’s run might be over. Moreover, Dana White did a thorough analysis of Dariush’s lethal heel hook that put Ferguson in a compromising position. Like many others, the long-time boss of the organization tipped his hat to Ferguson’s toughness.

“He had a tough three rounds, couldn’t stop the takedowns, couldn’t get up from underneath Beneil, and yeah, he had a tough night. I don’t know [what’s next], we’ll see what happens.”

“It could be that. Time gets us all, it’s one of those things. I don’t know which one or both. Unfortunately, it’s definitely hit Tony. He’s tough as hell though man, he was in that heel hook and his ankle definitely popped. His ankle the rest of the fight looked like a golf ball and maybe even a baseball. He kept fighting, there’s no quit in that dude.”

At one point, Tony Ferguson was on a 12-fight win streak. During that run, he was considered the second-best lightweight on the planet. However, after a consistent slump, it’s hard to see him bouncing back at age 37. The lightweight division is a shark tank of hungry contenders who will now be looking to make their name off ‘El Cucuy’. It remains to be seen where the former interim champion goes from here.