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Nicolas Atkin

Conor McGregor has stuck the knife in after Tony Ferguson’s first defeat in eight years.
Ferguson (25-4) suffered a broken orbital bone in a fifth-round TKO loss – the first of his career – to new interim lightweight champion Justin Gaethje (22-2) at UFC 249 at the weekend, with his 12-fight win streak in the Octagon snapped.
“I love Tony. We represented him amazingly at Paradigm sports and were betrayed for a promise of a baseball contract. But frame and preparation here was just embarrassing,” McGregor tweeted.
“His methods and conversation are humorous/enjoyable but he was never the level perceived. Although tough.”


The defeat in the rescheduled main event perhaps completely killed off the prospect of “El Cucuy” ever fighting lightweight champ Khabib Nurmagomedov. The highly-anticipated match-up fell through for a fifth time on the originally scheduled April 18 card because of the coronavirus pandemic.
With Ferguson set to be sidelined through injury for a while, and Gaethje likely to fight Nurmagomedov next, McGregor sees a fight against former interim champ Dustin Poirier as Ferguson’s next logical step.


“It is Dustin/Tony next when Tony heals,” McGregor wrote. “If he does. Dustin will beat him also if changes are not made. Which they won’t. Dustin, although game, and in the mix, will be fed to the floor again.
“Couple wins here/there then folded in half. Rinse and repeat – Dustin career,” added McGregor, who last week criticised Poirier and the UFC’s “weird” rankings that have “The Diamond” placed above him. McGregor beat Poirier by 40-second TKO when they met at featherweight in 2013.
“You have 1 win at Lightweight in the UFC … Pipe down,” Poirier tweeted in response to McGregor’s latest salvo.

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UFC 249

UFC 249: Conor McGregor says Tony Ferguson is ‘not the level perceived’ and Dustin Poirier would beat him

Tony Ferguson gets caught with a left hand by Justin Gaethje at UFC 249. Photo: AFP

UFC 249: Conor McGregor tells Justin Gaethje to forget Khabib – ‘the real threat is here’

Justin Gaethje celebrates after defeating Tony Ferguson at UFC 249. Photo: USA TODAY Sports

Olympic gold medalist and PFL star Kayla Harrison at a press conference with management label-mate and UFC double champion Henry Cejudo. Photo: Amy Kaplan

UFC 249: Justin Gaethje wants Conor McGregor after Khabib – ‘I’ll go to Ireland and do what I gotta do’

Dana White puts the interim lightweight belt on Justin Gaethje after his win against Tony Ferguson at UFC 249. Photo: USA TODAY Sports

UFC 249: Tony Ferguson dances in his hospital gown a day after devastating loss to Justin Gaethje

Tony Ferguson posts a selfie in his hospital bed with his wife, showing off his broken orbital bone. Photo: Instagram/@tonyfergusonxt

UFC: Khabib says Tony Ferguson beef ‘is in the past’ as he warns Justin Gaethje ‘I will never fall’

Tony Ferguson hits Justin Gaethje with a right hand at UFC 249. Photo: USA TODAY Sports

UFC 249: Dana White thinks Tony Ferguson paid the price for two weight cuts – ‘he looked off, slow’

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

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

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Martial Arts

Mixed Martial Arts


McGregor taunts Ferguson after TKO loss to Justin Gaethje, saying his preparation for fight was ‘embarrassing’
Irishman thinks Poirier would do the same to Ferguson ‘if changes are not made, and they won’t be’



Conor McGregor taunts Tony Ferguson after TKO loss to Justin Gaethje, saying his preparation for fight was ‘embarrassing’ and Dustin Poirier would do the same to him.
