TONY FERGUSON SETS UFC RECORD WITH EIGHTH CONSECUTIVE DEFEAT #UFCAbuDhabi #UFC #MMA

Former UFC interim champion Tony Ferguson has set a new record for consecutive defeats in the Octagon.

Ferguson (25-10) suffered a submission loss to Michael Chiesa in the first round of their welterweight bout at UFC Fight Night on Saturday in Abu Dhabi. It marked Ferguson's eighth loss in a row, surpassing the previous record of seven by BJ Penn.

Immediately after the bout, Ferguson, 40, removed his gloves, which is a symbolic gesture of retirement. He stopped short of officially retiring, however, and went on to tell UFC cameras in the back that, "It ain't time, I got s--- to work on."

Ferguson was considered one of the best fighters on the planet when this skid first began. In 2020, he was supposed to face Khabib Nurmagomedov in what would have been one of the most anticipated lightweight title fights of all time, but the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted those plans. Ferguson ultimately fought Justin Gaethje for an interim title and lost via TKO in the fifth round.