Tony Ferguson absorbed a tremendous amount of punishment in his interim lightweight title showdown against Justin Gaethje at UFC 249. Aside from being stopped in the fifth round, his 12-fight win streak wasn’t the only thing broken Saturday night.
The former champion suffered an orbital bone fracture that will require surgery, sources revealed to ESPN. There’s no telling how long Ferguson will be sidelined once the surgery is scheduled, but the 36-year-old will likely see an extended hiatus from the sport while he heals up.
Ferguson’s durability was put to the test against Gaethje in Jacksonville as he took everything his heavy-handed opponent fired at him and kept coming forward. The accumulation of punishment began to show in the third round when it was visibly worn on Ferguson’s face. Gaethje never let up and continued bouncing hard power shots off Ferguson’s head.
By the fourth round, it was clear that Ferguson was in over his head, but he continued to press forward and fight back. Unfortunately, while his heart was on display, so was the punishment. Referee Herb Dean stopped the fight while Ferguson was still on his feet after eating a stiff jab that rattled him.
The end came at 3:39 in the final round, but many argued that the fight could have ended much sooner. Hopefully, Ferguson will make a swift recovery and continue his career in the UFC.