bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

articlePageQuery

filter

article

articleBaseAdvertisingInfoArticle

articleListArticle

articleSeoArticle

helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle

hooksArticleAcknowledgementGateOverlayArticle

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

hooksContentInterestArticle

articleLinkingDataContent

articleSchemaContent

liveArticle

advertZone

sentiment

contentLock

topics

types

sections

moreOnThisArticles

urlAlias

commentCount

authorLocations

authors

paywallTypes

corrections

sponsorType

displaySlideShow

multimediaEmbed

printHeadline

seriesContainer

socialHeadline

headline

flag

firstTopic

glossary

flattenTypeIds

publishedDate

additionalInfoBoxes

images

image

relatedLinks

relatedNewsletters

__typename

createdDate

sponsor

factSheets

seriesReverseOrder

series

disableOffPlatformContent

published

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

body

keywords

readingTime

customTimezone

liveContents

Nicolas Atkin

Neither Conor McGregor nor Tony Ferguson has a clear-cut fight following the events of UFC 249. So Eddie Bravo thinks they should face each other.
Ferguson suffered a shock fifth-round TKO by new interim champ Justin Gaethje, who is now set to face lightweight king Khabib Nurmagomedov in September.


McGregor has tried to goad Gaethje into fighting him instead, but Ferguson’s jiu-jitsu coach thinks “El Cucuy” makes the most sense for the former two-weight champion.
“There’s gonna be a rematch [with Gaethje] eventually, and the training camp will be different,” Bravo said on The Joe Rogan Experience. “We could look back at this as a blessing in disguise in one way.


“Because originally Tony and Conor was the fight, but then Conor loses to Khabib, and now Tony and Khabib was the fight. Now Tony and Conor makes the most sense, because he [McGregor] did lose to Khabib.
“How about Gaethje-Khabib and Tony-Conor on the same card? How crazy would that be, New Year’s Eve or something. And then the winner of each fight’s each other. Everybody’s heads would explode worldwide simultaneously.”
UFC: Khabib makes coronavirus plea with dad in ‘serious’ condition
Bravo revealed Ferguson had already started training less than a week on from his defeat by Gaethje. Ferguson was discharged from hospital after it was determined he did not require surgery on a broken orbital bone.
“He’s already training, he’s ready to go back. He’s taking this loss … it gave me the chills listening to him talk last night. His ‘champ s*** only’ [motto], that’s in his losses too,” Bravo said.
“He goes, ‘Listen, everybody in the world is suffering financially, and I got to go in there and make a whole bunch of money, and my family’s secure. I lost technically, but I won in life. I’m winning, so I’m just ready to go back and do it again’. He seriously feels great.”

Help us understand what you are interested in so that we can improve SCMP and provide a better experience for you. We would like to invite you to take this five-minute survey on how you engage with SCMP and the news.



UFC: Tony Ferguson reveals ‘scary’ memory loss, opens up on Michael Chandler KO

UFC 274: Tony Ferguson out of hospital after ‘most vicious KO’ Dana White has ‘ever seen’

UFC 274: Michael Chandler knocks Tony Ferguson out cold with front kick; Conor McGregor responds to call out

UFC 262: Tony Ferguson somehow survives heel hook but Beneil Dariush dominates  for unanimous decision

Tony Ferguson

UFC: Tony Ferguson’s coach wants him to fight Conor McGregor next – ‘he’s already training’

Tony Ferguson prepares to fight Justin Gaethje at UFC 249. Photo: AFP

UFC: Tony Ferguson’s coach Eddie Bravo admits it was a ‘mistake for me to go in there’ in Justin Gaethje fight

A bruised Tony Ferguson looks on after his devastating defeat by Justin Gaethje. Photo: AFP

JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA - MAY 09: Justin Gaethje (R) of the United States punches Tony Ferguson (L) of the United States in their Interim lightweight title fight during UFC 249 at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena on May 09, 2020 in Jacksonville, Florida. Douglas P. DeFelice/Getty Images/AFP == FOR NEWSPAPERS, INTERNET, TELCOS & TELEVISION USE ONLY ==

May 9, 2020; Jacksonville, Florida, USA; Tony Ferguson (red gloves) fights Justin Gaethje (blue gloves) during UFC 249 at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports

UFC: Conor McGregor says ‘learn how to box’ after Tony Ferguson tells him to ‘put down the bottle’

Tony Ferguson gets hits by Justin Gaethje at UFC 249. Photo: USA TODAY Sports

UFC: Justin Gaethje blasts ‘greedy’ Conor McGregor – ‘his only ploy is he’s Mr Red Panty Night’

Dana White puts the interim lightweight title around Justin Gaethje’s waist. Photo: AFP

UFC: Tony Ferguson tells Khabib ‘see you soon kid’ after classy gesture – ‘keep training for the real finale’

Tony Ferguson looks on after his fifth-round defeat against Justin Gaethje at UFC 249. Photo: AFP

UFC: Justin Gaethje says Conor McGregor is ‘on his knees’ and warns him ‘you’re losing your clout’

Justin Gaethje speaks to the media after his Interim lightweight title fight against Tony Ferguson at UFC 249. Photo: AFP

Sport

Martial Arts

Mixed Martial Arts


Eddie Bravo says the match-up ‘makes most sense’ and the Justin Gaethje loss could be a ‘blessing in disguise’
Ferguson is already training and ‘ready to go back and do it again’ after brutal UFC 249 war



Eddie Bravo says Tony Ferguson fighting Conor McGregor ‘makes most sense’, and reveals ‘El Cucuy’ is already training again after brutal UFC 249 war with Justin Gaethje.


UFC 249

Conor McGregor

Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC)

UFC: Tony Ferguson’s coach wants him to fight Conor McGregor next – ‘he’s already training’

Eddie Bravo says the match-up ‘makes most sense’ and the Justin Gaethje loss could be a ‘blessing in disguise’ Ferguson is already training and ‘ready to go back and do it again’ after brutal UFC 249 war

Eddie Bravo says the match-up ‘makes most sense’ and the Justin Gaethje loss could be a ‘blessing in disguise’

Ferguson is already training and ‘ready to go back and do it again’ after brutal UFC 249 war