Tony Ferguson thrives in chaos.
With original opponent Michael Chiesa withdrawing, Ferguson faced promotional newcomer Lando Vannata at UFC Fight Night 91 in July 2016.
Much to everyone’s surprise, Vannata brought the fight to Ferguson. His fluid striking and swift movement threw Ferguson off guard, and he was able to land a spinning backfist early that rocked “El Cucuy.” But Ferguson kept moving forward, landing solid shots of his own as the two continued to trade.
With just over a minute left in Round 1, Vannata caught Ferguson’s kick and countered with a head kick, which dropped Ferguson and had him wobbling around the cage. Ferguson managed to survive and was somehow the much fresher fighter in Round 2. Vannata was a lot more flat-footed, and Ferguson started to take over. Midway through the round, Ferguson grabbed a hold of Vannata’s neck and dragged him down, submitting him with a brabo choke.
Ferguson (25-5 MMA, 15-3 UFC) returns to action Saturday against Beneil Dariush (20-4-1 MMA, 14-4-1 UFC) in the co-main event of UFC 262, which takes place at Toyota Center in Houston.
Before he faces Dariush, relive Ferguson’s win over Vannata in the video above.
