Tony Ferguson on Why He Went Through with Weight Cut: ‘That Says a Lot More for My Stock’

If it wasn’t clear already, Tony Ferguson isn’t like most normal human beings.

The UFC lightweight contender completed a successful weight cut on Friday, sharing the results (he hit 155 on the nose) on social media. Many questioned why Ferguson would go through such a grueling process when his interim title clash against Justin Gaethje had already been postponed from April 18 to May 9.

"It wasn't just for me -- it was for my team, man, and my sponsors and obviously for my family," Ferguson told ESPN. "And just the commitment to myself to follow through with the weight cut. ... To me that says a lot more for my stock. Saying that you know what, 'I'm gonna make weight; I'm not gonna miss weight.' I have what it takes mentally to go through this fight camp. It's gonna be awesome, dude. It was such a great experience."

As of now, the fight between Ferguson and Gaethje has not been finalized, and of course, all events are tentative during the coronavirus pandemic. The Las Vegas-based promotion has not announced a location for the May 9 card. Ferguson does not seem to be bothered by the notion of going through another weight cut in three weeks if all goes as planned. In fact, he claims to have not been affected by the restrictions imposed as a result of the pandemic much at all.

"I've been doing the exact same s--t," Ferguson said. "Everybody has been quarantined now, but I'm still living the same life. I'm still doing my thing, which is training and bettering myself every single day. My growth factor is f---ing huge right now, pardon my language. Literally, I feel great.

"For me to make weight and Justin Gaethje not to make weight, that's a chalk line right there. That's a chalk line versus any opponent I have. Any person that would make championship weight today was the smart one that's gonna compete on that card, that's still competing."

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“El Cucuy” reportedly weighed as much as 179 pounds early in the cut, although nutrition coach Paulina Indara told ESPN it didn’t take the fighter long to get himself to the range of 166 to 168 pounds. By Thursday night, Ferguson posted on social media that he was 163.6 pounds.

While multiple weight cuts in a short period of time could take its toll on the body, Indara isn’t concerned about Ferguson, who is expected to keep his weight at a manageable level during the next three weeks.

"He is very good at knowing that there is a possibility that he will have to weigh in on May 8 and fight on May 9, so he's not going to have that fat-kid experience that a lot of fighters have after the fight," Indara said. "Because they're like, 'Oh, I fought. Clearly, I'm not going to fight for several months and I'm gonna eat everything under the sun.' That's not the case here. He knows he has to be disciplined. Knowing that will keep him on track. So, we're not worried about it, he's not worried about it, his coaches aren't worried about it."

After making a test cut, Ferguson expects to be an even better version of himself as he prepares to square off against Gaethje on May 9.

"It's f---ing crazy, man," Ferguson said. "But I had to trust the process and I did it. I made it difficult for myself, but I'm glad I did. Because when I don't have to make it difficult for myself, then just watch out."

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