Rib-Roasting Ferguson Brags About Injuring Student

Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC

UFC lightweight contender Tony Ferguson lit up the UFC 262 press conference on Thursday by ... well, being Tony Ferguson. “El Cucuy” is scheduled to fight fellow 155-pound standout Beneil Dariush in the pay-per-view (PPV) co-main event tomorrow night (Sat., May 15, 2021) inside Toyota Center in Houston, Texas.

How does Ferguson plan to win the fight?

“I’m gonna slam you, I’m gonna slam you like I did my student, I broke his fucking rib,” Ferguson bragged.

“Well that’s a dick move, why would you do that to your own student?” Dariush asked.

“Because he made me do it,” Ferguson said.

Ferguson (25-5), now 37, was bounced from the lightweight title chase after Justin Gaethje put him out to pasture at UFC 249 back in May 2020. “El Cucuy” would try to rebound against Charles Oliveira later that year, but got shut down across all three rounds en route to a lopsided unanimous decision defeat.

Not that it rattled his confidence.

“I already broke you in that press conference,” Ferguson told Dariush (via ESPN). “I’m gonna keep putting the pressure on you, kid. The more nervous you get, the less you’re gonna be able to do anything. You’re gonna try to throw some overhands or whatever. I’m gonna test that chin. I’m gonna knock your ass out.”

Dariush, who turned 32 earlier this month, is the winner of six straight with four of those victories coming by way of knockout or submission. The Californian recently improved to 20-4-1 with a split decision victory over the rough-and-tumble Diego Ferreira at UFC Fight Night 184 last February in Las Vegas.

The only downside to their UFC 262 co-main event is that it’s only three rounds.

MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the entire UFC 262 fight card RIGHT HERE, starting with the early Fight Pass/ESPN+ “Prelims” matches at 6 p.m. ET, followed by the remaining undercard balance on ESPN/ESPN+ at 8 p.m. ET, before the PPV main card start time at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN+.

To check out the latest and greatest UFC 262: “Oliveira vs. Chandler” news and notes be sure to hit up our comprehensive event archive right here. For the entire UFC 262 fight card and PPV line up click here.