Add Tony Ferguson to the list of fighters that are willing to step in against Rafael dos Anjos at UFC 272.
After Rafael Fiziev was forced out from Saturday’s co-main event against dos Anjos (30-13 MMA, 19-11 UFC) due to a positive COVID-19 test, multiple fighters offered to replace Fiziev.
UFC president Dana White confirmed that a replacement is being sought for dos Anjos and Ferguson says he received the call. However, the former interim lightweight champion is suggesting that he wasn’t selected as a replacement. Ferguson (25-6 MMA, 15-4 UFC) also said he was willing to step in against Islam Makhachev this past weekend when Beneil Dariush withdrew from the UFC Fight Night 202 headliner due to injury
“We Were Offered To Fight @RdosAnjosMMA On Short Notice For #ufc272 We We’re Moar Than Ready To Step In And Save The Fight & Perform 📈 We Were Also Ready To Beat Fatheads Primo @MAKHACHEVMMA This Past Weekend But No Call Was Received, TUF🥇Times 💪😎 -CSO- 🇺🇸🏆🇲🇽 # 🥇”
We Were Offered To Fight @RdosAnjosMMA On Short Notice For #ufc272 We We’re Moar Than Ready To Step In And Save The Fight & Perform 📈 We Were Also Ready To Beat Fatheads Primo @MAKHACHEVMMA This Past Weekend But No Call Was Received, TUF🥇Times 💪😎 -CSO- 🇺🇸🏆🇲🇽 # 🥇 pic.twitter.com/X43d6UGIZ2
— Tony Ferguson (@TonyFergusonXT) March 1, 2022
Ferguson holds a win over former UFC lightweight champion dos Anjos in 2016. Ferguson outlasted dos Anjos in a “Fight of the Night” battle, which headlined UFC Fight Night 98. Currently linked to a matchup with Michael Chandler at UFC 274, Ferguson is enduring the roughest patch of his career.
After amassing an incredible 12-fight winning streak, including wins over dos Anjos, Anthony Pettis and Kevin Lee, Ferguson has dropped three straight to No. 1 contender Justin Gaethje, current UFC lightweight champion Charles Oliveira, and most recently Dariush at UFC 262 this past May.
