SALT LAKE CITY – Bobby Green won’t make the mistake of taking Tony Ferguson lightly.
Despite being one of the biggest betting favorites on the UFC 291 lineup, “King” feels he’s facing a very game rival on Saturday night – even if Ferguson’s recent run points to the opposite.
The 39-year-old Ferguson (25-8 MMA, 15-6 UFC) is on a five-fight losing streak entering the contest against Green (29-14-1 MMA, 10-9-1 UFC). He’s yet to win a fight since June 2019, but Green feels those stats are deceiving.
Ferguson’s past five defeats came against Justin Gaethje, Charles Oliveira, Beneil Dariush, Michael Chandler, and most recently Nate Diaz.
“When you’re fighting those top dogs like that, they’re all killers,” Green said at the UFC 291 media day. “… So a lot of people will say, ‘Oh, he’s coming off five losses.’ Those are to the world’s best, we’re talking about the world’s best.
“You never want to take him lightly, you know. People are like, ‘Oh, he’s done.’ No. It’s the way the chips fell. Some guys are going to fight a tough road, some guys an easy road, and Tony’s fought the tough road.”
Throughout the past 12 years he’s been fighting in the UFC, Ferguson has made a name for himself with his high-level skills, but also his unorthodox style.
Deceiving losing skid aside, Green believes that alone is something to worry about and that’s why he’s not really expecting anything from their fight.
“What am I expecting from Tony? You know how weird Tony is?” Green questioned. “If you’re expecting anything, you might be wrong, so I’m not expecting anything.
“It’s going to go how it’s going to go, especially with guys with a weird style like Tony. You don’t know what’s about to happen. So if you expect this, and then you get this, you’re off. Player, I’m living in the time, where it is. I’m living in the moment. Guys, don’t worry about the next day, that day. Live in the moment. I’m going to be in there and so into it that whatever happens, is whatever happens.”
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 291.
