UFC President Dana White has said that Tony Ferguson will return to the lightweight elite with a win over Beneil Dariush at UFC 262.
Ferguson is coming out of a tough 2020 when he lost to Justin Gaethje at UFC 249 and then via unanimous decision to Charles Oliveira at UFC 256. Ferguson was one of the top three light heavyweights in the world at the start of the year, but after losing in this one-sided manner and Gaethier, and Oliveira, it is fair to ask where he is in the division right now. At the age of 37, Ferguson is one of the oldest light heavyweights on the UFC roster, and after seeing how poorly he performed, many fans believe he has weakened.
Nonetheless, while Ferguson would certainly love to reclaim those losses to Gaethier and Oliveira, he has a great opportunity this weekend at UFC 262 to return to the victorious circle against arch rival Dariush, who has won his last six straight fights. Ferguson vs. Dariush is one of the best fights on the entire map, and the winner will put himself in a good position in the UFC’s folded lightweight division. For Ferguson, in particular, this is an important fight, as a victory will return him to the elite at 155 years old.
Speaking with ESPN’s Brett Okamoto, White confirmed that a big win against Dariush at UFC 262 this weekend will put Ferguson back at the top of the lightweight division.
“It’s a big fight for him, man. He’s a big fan favorite, so if he comes and performs, he’ll be at the top of the game again. We just have to see which Tony Ferguson comes up, ”White said.