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UFC News: Tony Ferguson Half-Retires After 8th-Straight Loss

No happy endings in the UFC.

Mathew Riddle

Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

Tony Ferguson's losing streak might have come to an end.

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A reinvigorated Ferguson debuted at welterweight at UFC Fight Night: Abu Dhabi on August 3, only to be completely shut down by Michael Chiesa. Chiesa, riding his three-fight losing streak, kept the fight even on the feet for most of the opening round but managed to take Ferguson to the ground, where he quickly took the back and snatched a rear-naked choke.

The loss marks Ferguson's eighth loss in a row. In an act of humility, Chiesa immediately handed the mic to Ferguson, who didn't outright retire but told the Abu Dhabi crowd that he'd place one glove down and take the other home for consideration.

"I don't want to retire, I really don't," Ferguson said in his post-fight interview. "But I love the UFC and don't want to go anywhere else. So, I'm not going to put both gloves down. I'm going to put one, and I'm going to keep the other one just incase."

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Still, it's a bittersweet announcement for fans, who were expecting Ferguson to retire on either a win or a loss.

Regardless, Ferguson's legacy remains intact. 'El Cucuy' will leave his mark as one of the most unique and entertaining fighters in MMA history. He also enjoyed a remarkable 12-fight streak from 2013 to 2019, during which he captured the interim title and built a legendary feud with Khabib Nurmagomedov.

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Mathew Riddle
MATHEW RIDDLE

Mathew is a UK-based combat sports journalist, graphic designer, and SEO expert with over five years of experience in digital marketing and a dedicated four-year track record in MMA journalism. He joined MMAKO in 2023. Mathew's insights have been featured on The Fight Fanatic, Heavy on UFC, Fansided, and Sportskeeda. Reach him at mr@thefightfanatic.com.

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