Tony Ferguson lost his eight-straight inside the Octagon, succumbing to an RNC in the opening round at UFC Abu Dhabi (Highlights).
After losing his last seven outings inside the Octagon, former interim lightweight titleholder Tony Ferguson returned to action on Saturday night at UFC Abu Dhabi determined to snap one of the biggest skids in promotional history.
Standing in Ferguson’s way was Michael Chiesa, a TUF alumnus with wins over some seriously impressive names, including Jim Miller, Beneil Dariush, Carlos Condit, Diego Sanchez, Neil Magny, and ex-champion Rafael dos Anjos.
Round 1
Through the first minute, Ferguson stalks while Chiesa circles the cage, but neither man throws a single strike. Chiesa gets things started with a kick to the body followed by a jab. Chiesa lands a stinging right hand as Ferguson has yet to let his hands go. Ferguson goes low with a couple of calf kicks but nearly eats another big counter right from Chiesa. Ferguson engages with a right of his own, but it’s clear that Chiesa is the sharper striker.
As we hit the three-minute mark, Chiesa moves in for a takedown and quickly gets Ferguson to the mat, taking his back almost immediately. In no time, ‘Maverick’ has his arm cinched under the chin of Ferguson, leaving ‘El Cucuy’ with no choice, but to tap out in the opening round.
Official Result: Michael Chiesa def. Tony Ferguson via submission (rear-naked choke) at 3:44 of Round 1.