Tony Ferguson recently opened up about advice and guidance he received from former UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar. Ferguson got candid about what the WWE superstar told him regarding his future and seeking other interests.
‘El Cucuy’ and Lesnar’s relationship dates back to The Ultimate Fighter season 13, where the former heavyweight champion served as his coach. Ferguson won the show and went on to have an incredible UFC career. However, his tenure with the promotion ended after an eight-fight losing skid.
Ferguson has since found renewed passion for combat sports after a win over Salt Papi in their boxing bout. He recalled seeking advice from his former TUF coach after one of his UFC losses. ‘El Cucuy’ revealed that Lesnar was very honest with him about retirement, but also encouraged him.
“[Lesnar said], ‘You should think about retiring, Tony,’” Ferguson told MMA Fighting. “I asked coach Brock, I said, ‘Coach, what do guys like us do when we retire?’ I value his opinion and he said, ‘You know what Tony, find your second passion and follow that with everything you’ve got like you did your first [passion].’”
He continued:
“Sports is my passion. I love sports, I love competing, I love competing at a high level, a very high level.”
Tony Ferguson Wasn’t Upset With Brock Lesnar for Suggesting Retirement
Although it could be discouraging to have retirement suggested, Tony Ferguson revealed that he wasn’t upset with Brock Lesnar. On the contrary, he respected why Lesnar felt that way and his stance on him continuing to fight.
Ferguson noted that Lesnar has always cared about him and they maintained a strong relationship after The Ultimate Fighter. He believes the former heavyweight champion was being honest and was a coach who cares for his athletes’ well-being.
“I understood why [Lesnar] would say that,” Ferguson told MMA Fighting. “When you have your athletes, the last thing you want to do is see them get hurt. That’s from any sport, that’s just how it goes.
He continued:
“They’re underneath your care, you’re supposed to care like that. At least you have that relationship with your athlete, Ferguson said before rejecting the idea of retiring any time soon. “I’m never [expletive] retiring. You can omit that [expletive] away from me.”
Ferguson is Enjoying His Transition to Boxing
Ferguson might have stopped competing in MMA for the time being. However, he made it known that he is very much enjoying his transition to boxing.
Ferguson was initially set to face Dillon Danis in an MMA fight for the newly launched GFL promotion. That fight and the events themselves were scrapped after the promotion experienced financial troubles before their launch. Given the cancelation and uncertainty, Ferguson decided to try something new and join Misfits Boxing.
During his interview with MMA Fighting, Ferguson expressed his joy for training and sparring. ‘El Cucuy’ said that the sparring has allowed him to do some soul-searching and made him feel like himself again.
“Through sparring and through some good things, I brought back a certain character of mine that I really needed and I missed a long time,” Ferguson said. “That’s just real stuff because you don’t find that unless you’re really [expletive] working and moving.”
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