Earlier this year, Tony Ferguson left Paradigm Sports Management and signed with Ballengee Group.
With his UFC 238 fight against Donald Cerrone now just days away, Ferguson sat down with ESPN's Brett Okamoto and briefly explained the decision. ?I knew four years ago I should?ve left them. Not talking about bad blood but there was a couple things that happened. I saw my sponsors go to some other people that weren?t as deserving when I really needed the help. I felt like it was pulling teeth, I feel like even the smallest details make the biggest difference. Like making t-shirts, getting merchandise out to my fans. That was like pulling arms."
Ferguson wasn't Paradigm's only marquee name though, with the group also representing Conor McGregor. With that in mind, Ferguson recalled a moment in which he asked his management for the McGregor fight. ?I asked them. I said straight up, I was like look, ?I want Conor next.? They basically told me ?no.? They were like ?no.? They?re defending him the same way Dana?s f**king defending him.
I mean any person that?s got their hands in Conor?s pockets, right there I mean their kissing their ass. I?m not gonna saying anything else about that but literally man, the kid don?t run the show. He don?t run me. You?ve never heard this dude speak my name, you never heard this dude talk s**t about me, never heard him do anything like that. That?s a little bit of respect, I see that you know?"
Either way, Ferguson has no hard feelings for Paradigm and now looks towards his new chapter which begins this Saturday night at UFC 238. 'El Cucuy' takes on Donald Cerrone in a pivotal Lightweight clash on a card that also features two title bouts. The event will air on ESPN+ PPV and it's full card can be found below:
Main Card (ESPN+ PPV - 10 pm ET)
UFC Bantamweight Championship
Henry Cejudo (14-2) vs. Marlon Moraes (22-5-1)
UFC Women's Flyweight Championship
Valentina Shevchenko (16-3) (c) vs. Jessica Eye (14-6, 1NC)
Tony Ferguson (24-3) vs. Donald Cerrone (36-11)
Jimmie Rivera (22-3) vs. Petr Yan (12-1)
Tai Tuivasa (8-1) vs. Blagoy Ivanov (17-2, 1NC)
Prelims (ESPN - 8 pm ET)
Tatiana Suarez (7-0) vs. Nina Ansaroff (10-5)
Aljamain Sterling (17-3) vs. Pedro Munhoz (18-3, 1NC)
Karolina Kowalkiewicz (12-4) vs. Alexa Grasso (10-2)
Ricardo Lamas (19-7) vs. Calvin Kattar (19-3)
Early Prelims (UFC Fight Pass - 6 pm ET)
Angela Hill (9-6) vs. Yan Xiaonan (10-1, 1NC)
Darren Stewart (9-4) vs. Bevon Lewis (6-1)
Eddie Wineland (23-13-1) vs. Grigory Popov (13-1)
Katlyn Chookagian (11-2) vs. Joanne Calderwood (13-3)