Does prime Tony Ferguson beat anyone on the top 5?

[Iron Wolf]

I don't think so. You can never TRULY tell. That's why they fight of course. He was nearly beaten in a lot of his fights. I'm not so sure that really makes for top 5 beating material. As soon as Gaethje realised that wasn't gonna work for long he adjusted. He COULD have carried on fighting the way he used to. But the Justin Gaethje that beat Tony beats the Gaethje that lost to Eddie and Dustin. He evolved past that eye for an eye mentality. Tony never did. And his best wins could have been so much better if he'd been able to ration the crayziness

This is pretty insightful.

 

[TeenageMutantLesnarTurtle]

I'd favour prime Tony against anyone other than Maybe Dustin, and even then its close.

The guy is 37, mentally ill, and had been fairly inactive in the years leading up to his downfall.

 

[WarFan90]

Supposed boogeyman doesn’t really have the best resume to go by. Trying to imagine any version of Tony that beats Dustin is definitely laughable tho. Always was a bad matchup for him.

The Tony that fought barboza would have melted dustin at that time. In his prime he was one of the best ever at WINNING fights. He took damage and it wasn't always as one sided as some of the all time greats but he just won against top talent for like 8 years straight. Dustin now vs tony then I think dustin probably wins but dustin mastered his mental game and figured out what hes great at and sticks too it hes the best lw right now imo

 

[KilledByDeath]

He cleared the top 5 for yrs.

 

[PPVpoints]

Dude, why are you so angry? Get therapy. This isn't a normal way to respond to humans.

You sound like such a snowflake.

 

[JustBleed69]

Supposed boogeyman doesn’t really have the best resume to go by. Trying to imagine any version of Tony that beats Dustin is definitely laughable tho. Always was a bad matchup for him.

I could see him beating Chandler maybe, especially in a 5 rounder. The rest, no way.

 

[kellier]

Hard to know how good prime Tony was. He spent his best yrs doing camps for Khabib.

His wins against Pettis & Cerrone were against big names, but realistically not the fighters they were.

Biggest win was probably RDA, who was 1 fight removed from being champ. Comeback win against Lee was impressive (Lee badly gassed). Finishing Tibau and Barboza is pretty solid

 

[muaythaidon1]

A 12-fight win streak in one of the most competitive divisions in the UFC, with wins including, inter alia, Pettis, Lee, RDA, Barboza, Thibau…

And at one point having a ~15-1 record inside UFC lightweight…

Do you hear yourself?

Tony was a world-class fighter. It is as if many of these elite fighters, competing in one of the most competitive divisions against the best planet earth has to offer, occupying top 5 or 10 placement in the most successful fighting organization in the world, are somehow viewed by many as the equivalent of regional circuit fighters.

It is positively absurd and dismissive hyperbole. Tony was hardly a journeyman. There was a time when he was elite. That time has passed, but to suggest he was somehow mediocre during his run is ignorant, cynical nonsense.

I'm not sure why you wasted your time replying to that muppet. There are some proper morons on this site.

 

[USA!USA!]

Prime yes.. but that is not his reality anymore.

 

[Typrune Goatley]

Tony’s best win in his “prime” is Kevin Lee lol. Should say enough, he’s a Diaz level fighter with equally retarded fans,

That was an impressive win. He showed he could survive on bottom against a strong wrestler. He even finished the fight from his back with a triangle.

Also, an older and past prime Tony survived a fully extended armbar by Oliviera and if I recall correctly he also survived a heel hook attempt by Dariush.

Older and past prime Tony also dropped Gaethje.

Prime Tony could definitely beat all these guys. The top 5 or 6 guys at Lightweight could all beat each other any given night. They are all 50/50 fights IMO. Remember how close Dustin vs Justin was? That was a war.

 

[chinarice]

You sound like such a snowflake.

Nobody in the history of life who used the word snowflake was cool. It's legit the shittiest insult ever.

How embarrassing for you lol

 

[warriorfan808]

Prime Tony had the skills to beat any of them. It doesn’t mean he would be them, but he definitely had the skills to. Also, not talking a lucky punch or anything like that.

 

[Mr Fahrenheit]

He has a shot against everyone. Funny how 3 years ago he was a serious candidat for LW GOAT and suddenly he cant beat a Top 5 fighter? He ate 100s of gaethjes best shots (is super durable) and has the best stamina MMA has ever seen. He can give everyone hell.

Khabib showed the one and only way to make sure fans don’t eventually decide that you were always overrated — quit early.

Tony was always a bit too open to headshots and takedowns, so truly elite punchers and wrestlers always had a decent shot against him. But I wouldn’t write him off against any of these guys.

 

[G10]

He beats all of them, and prime Tony probably beats khabib too

This. He has a few losses after a long career and getting into his late thirties, now all of a sudden he was never any good. Nevermind the fact that he has the longest win streak in LW history, has beaten two UFC LW champions, one Strikeforce champion, and nearly cleaned out the top of the division in the process while making every one of his opponents look like they were mauled by a tiger.

I'm not a Tony shill, either; I rooted against him in almost every one of his fights. I just have enough common sense to know that Prime Tony might have been the best LW on the planet, and it's a shame none of us got to see him fight for the real title.

 

[kingghidrah]

People will be asking the EXACT same question here about Oliveira after he loses his next 3 fights. Can he beat ANYONE? Was he ever ANY GOOD?

 

[Kratos94]

He has a shot against everyone. Funny how 3 years ago he was a serious candidat for LW GOAT and suddenly he cant beat a Top 5 fighter? He ate 100s of gaethjes best shots (is super durable) and has the best stamina MMA has ever seen. He can give everyone hell.

Ferguson was a candidate for LW goat? lmao

 

[Bend NvR Break]

No. It's just that there's always been a large portion of people who were never on the tony wagon, and saying someone might not beat one of the current best five lightweights in the world is hardly an insult

I wasn't on the Tony wagon and I've generally believed since the Pettis (Pettis vs Tony) fight that Dustin would beat Tony.

BUT I don't believe there any version of Dustin Poirier that beats the Tony that beat RDA.

 

[fortheo]

I wasn't on the Tony wagon and I've generally believed since the Pettis (Pettis vs Tony) fight that Dustin would beat Tony.

BUT I don't believe there any version of Dustin Poirier that beats the Tony that beat RDA.

I don't know, but that was also a 48-47 decision, and the tides didn't turn towards Tony's favor until he dug his finger two inches deep into RDA's eye. That said, Dustin is one of the current top 5 fighters who I think prime tony has the best chance against, just because of how they match up stylistically.

 

[Bend NvR Break]

I don't know, but that was also a 48-47 decision, and the tides didn't turn towards Tony's favor until he dug his finger two inches deep into RDA's eye. That said, Dustin is one of the current top 5 fighters who I think prime tony has the best chance against, just because of how they match up stylistically.

As long as Tony's chin holds up I believe he would win. Dustin does have good cardio but he does slow down as the fight progresses. Tony during his streak feasted on absorbing an ass whooping and turning on the pressure later.

 

[ferrisjso]

Justin G seemed like it was a winnable fight with a little bit of luck. The way he fought since suggests otherwise but he didn't look like that was an inwinnable fight for him. If not for Hooker win it wouldn't even be clear Dustin's an elite LW cause if you didn't know better he'd think he was back at FW fighting Conor and Max. I don't know if Dustins'winnable for Tony or not I'd have to favor Dustin at this point.