Masks of blood, grotesque swellings, and a rogue eye poke: Tony Ferguson shows Justin Gaethje what to look forward to at UFC 249
Alan Dawson
Photo by UFC
- Combat sports is back.
- After a two-month coronavirus-enforced hiatus, the UFC returns for a behind-closed-doors event, UFC 249, on May 9 in Jacksonville, Florida.
- The show's main event features Tony Ferguson facing off against Justin Gaethje for the Interim Lightweight Title.
- Ferguson is one of the best fighters on the planet, on a 12-fight winning run, and has left the faces of many opponents battered, bloodied, and bruised.
- His opponent, Justin Gaethje, has a fan-friendly striking style, meaning that Saturday's fight should be action-packed.
- Insider has pulled together a series of images showing the damage Ferguson is capable of inflicting on his opponents — from masks of blood, to deep eye pokes, to grotesque swellings.
- WARNING: Several of the following images are graphic, contain blood, and are not for those of a squeamish disposition. If you don't want to see blood, don't scroll down.
- Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.
Though Gaethje initially tweeted that he was "terrified" he has since said he is unafraid of sharing the Octagon with Ferguson, and is telling everyone he's going to knock him out cold. "I possess the power to turn his lights off, and I believe I will."
Now Gaethje stands in his way, a fighter all too happy to put on gasoline boots, walk through hell, and meet Ferguson in the middle of the cage until there's only one man left standing.
Then there was Donald Cerrone in 2019. Ferguson exchanged heavy leather with the Californian throughout the contest. Cerrone was beginning to suffer a hematoma under the eye and, when he blew his nose, it swelled shut in a grotesque manner.
Anthony Pettis bled so much in a 2018 stoppage loss to Ferguson that he splattered ringside observers, commentators, and officials with dollops of blood.
Photos by Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile via Getty Images
Source: The Athletic.
Rafael dos Anjos lost a five-round decision in Mexico in 2016 and while he emerged from the fight fairly clean, his eye socket still got accidentally penetrated by a rogue Ferguson finger.
… before he got submitted with a D'Arce choke in the second round.
After his UFC Fight Night triumph over Thomson, Ferguson fought Edson Barboza in Las Vegas. Like Thomson, Barboza had to wear a mask of his own blood during the bout …
Just look at what Ferguson did to Josh Thomson in San Diego five years ago.
Photos by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images
With thumping front kicks, frustratingly accurate jabbing, and piercing elbow strikes, Ferguson cut Thomson open, won a three-round decision, and claimed a "Performance of the Night" bonus.
This is Justin Gaethje, an expert striker drafted in to replace Khabib Nurmagomedov at UFC 249 this weekend as the Russian is unable to travel because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Gaethje said last month that he's "terrified" at the prospect of competing against Ferguson, and if you take a look at the state of Ferguson's opponents after he's defeated them, it is easy to see why.
This is the UFC lightweight Tony Ferguson. He's the kind of guy to wear a fang-like gum-guard so it makes him resemble a vampire when he's covered in his opponent's blood.
Ferguson is a terrifying athlete and he returns for another feast of a fight on Saturday, taking on Justin Gaethje.
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