Tony Ferguson’s Post-UFC Ambitions and His Move into Boxing
Tony Ferguson said he was willing to compete elsewhere after his August 2024 loss to Michael Chiesa extended his UFC losing streak to eight fights. The former interim lightweight champion did not treat that defeat as an automatic retirement. His later appearance in Misfits Boxing turned the discussion of opportunities outside the UFC into a concrete new chapter.
The career behind the difficult final stretch
Ferguson’s UFC achievements included winning The Ultimate Fighter and building a 12-fight winning streak. In October 2017, he submitted Kevin Lee in the third round at UFC 216 to become interim lightweight champion. His pace, unusual attacks and willingness to engage made him a distinctive figure in the division.
That earlier success helps explain the attention surrounding his later losses. Fans were evaluating the future of someone who had spent years near the top of lightweight, rather than an athlete whose career had never reached that level. The decline in results became a major story because of what preceded it.
At UFC Abu Dhabi on August 3, 2024, Chiesa submitted Ferguson with a rear-naked choke at 3:44 of the opening round. It was another clear setback, and discussion immediately turned to whether Ferguson would continue competing.
What Ferguson said about his next step
In the aftermath, Ferguson indicated that he would consider competing outside the UFC if the promotion did not offer another bout. His comments expressed a desire to continue, not an announcement that he had signed with a specific organization.
The distinction keeps the historical report accurate. Possible destinations and different combat-sports formats could be discussed, but none should be described as a booked fight simply because an athlete is open to a move. His immediate position was that he still wanted an opportunity.
His stance also differed from the expectation that the Chiesa loss would necessarily bring a retirement announcement. An athlete’s stated intention and the later offers available to him are separate parts of the process. Following what happened next is more useful than filling the gap with hypothetical bookings.
A new platform and a different kind of contest
On August 30, 2025, Ferguson fought Salt Papi at Misfits Boxing 22 in Manchester and won by stoppage. The victory was reported as his first combat-sports win in more than six years. It gave his wish to continue outside the UFC a tangible outcome.
The boxing result should be understood in its own setting. It did not reverse the official record of his final UFC appearances, and a different ruleset presents a different competitive challenge. Nevertheless, it was a real appearance and victory beyond the promotion where he had built his MMA reputation.
Ferguson’s story after Abu Dhabi therefore moved from a statement of intent to a new sporting platform. The full account preserves the achievements of his UFC peak, the difficult losing run and the later boxing opportunity, allowing readers to follow the career through events that actually occurred.
Sources
- UFC: Ferguson’s career results
- UFC: official win-streak records
- BJPenn.com: post-fight comments
- MMA Fighting: 2025 boxing victory
Sources: mmafighting.com
Tags
Boxing, Combat Sports
