Masks of blood, grotesque swellings, and a rogue eye poke: Tony Ferguson shows Justin Gaethje what to look forward to at UFC 249
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Alan DawsonMay 5, 2020, 21:12 IST
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Though Gaethje initially tweeted that he was "terrified" he has since said he is unafraid of sharing the Octagon with Ferguson, and is telling everyone he's going to knock him out cold. "I possess the power to turn his lights off, and I believe I will."
Now Gaethje stands in his way, a fighter all too happy to put on gasoline boots, walk through hell, and meet Ferguson in the middle of the cage until there's only one man left standing.
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Then there was Donald Cerrone in 2019. Ferguson exchanged heavy leather with the Californian throughout the contest. Cerrone was beginning to suffer a hematoma under the eye and, when he blew his nose, it swelled shut in a grotesque manner.
Anthony Pettis bled so much in a 2018 stoppage loss to Ferguson that he splattered ringside observers, commentators, and officials with dollops of blood.
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Rafael dos Anjos lost a five-round decision in Mexico in 2016 and while he emerged from the fight fairly clean, his eye socket still got accidentally penetrated by a rogue Ferguson finger.
… before he got submitted with a D'Arce choke in the second round.
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After his UFC Fight Night triumph over Thomson, Ferguson fought Edson Barboza in Las Vegas. Like Thomson, Barboza had to wear a mask of his own blood during the bout …
Just look at what Ferguson did to Josh Thomson in San Diego five years ago.
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This is Justin Gaethje, an expert striker drafted in to replace Khabib Nurmagomedov at UFC 249 this weekend as the Russian is unable to travel because of the coronavirus pandemic.
This is the UFC lightweight Tony Ferguson. He's the kind of guy to wear a fang-like gum-guard so it makes him resemble a vampire when he's covered in his opponent's blood.