Tony Ferguson feels like he was on his way to picking up a win this past weekend at UFC 291. That was right before Bobby Green got him in the eye. Ferguson, who would be choked out in the third round, believes that Green landed the eye poke on purpose.
UFC 291: Tony Ferguson Calls Out Bobby Green For Incident
For the sixth consecutive fight, Tony Ferguson was dealt a defeat at UFC 291 this past weekend.
But as far as the former interim lightweight champion is concerned, this one comes with an asterisk.
Ferguson, via Instagram, feels that the eye poke landed by Bobby Green during the bout is what led to the finish and subsequent loss.
“Walked into the Delta Center to show the world I was back on track,” Ferguson wrote. “The preparation for this fight was exceptional & it was one of the best camps I’ve had.
As the fight began, I was in the Xone, flowing & feeling confident. Bobby knew the direction of the fight & I believe he knew what he was doing when he poked my eye. He has a big History of moves like this. It significantly impaired my vision, making it difficult to see clearly out of my eye.
“Despite this eye poke I never considered stopping the fight. Although the doc wanted too. Throughout my career, I’ve always pushed through challenges and never given up This time was no different.
“Unfortunately in sports, setbacks like this are part of the journey While I won’t use the eye poke as an excuse for the outcome, I know for a fact I have more to give.”
While many have wondered if this might be the end for Ferguson, he doesn’t seem to be heading in that direction.
Moving forward, I plan to work closely with Dana, Hunter & my entire team to assess what’s next,” he posted. “I’d like to take a moment to say thank you to my wife, my family and my fans. Your support means the world to me and it’s what drives me to keep pushing forward and striving for greatness.”
Ferguson added that he is set for an eye appointment and some recovery time before getting back into training.