If these rumors hold any weight, fans will surely be hoping this fight becomes a swan song for both veterans—especially for Ferguson, who’s taken more damage than most care to admit. Concerns about CTE and Tony’s long-term health have loomed large as he’s continued to fight. But here’s the kicker: Even if the UFC cuts ties with ‘El Cucuy,’ Tony has made it abundantly clear—he’s not done. Whether it’s in the UFC or another promotion, Ferguson is dead set on throwing down again.

At this point, Tony’s fighting career feels like an extended horror movie—you know it’s going to end badly, but you just can’t look away. Buckle up, because if this fight with Diaz happens, it could be the farewell we’ve all been waiting for—or just another chapter in Ferguson’s wild, unpredictable saga.

Tony Ferguson refuses to retire despite fans and even Dana White wanting him to retire

Speaking to reporters after the Michael Chiesa fight in August, the Mexican-American said that he still loved fighting and while he had thought about moving on and possibly coaching, he had quickly dismissed these thoughts. So much does Ferguson love fighting that he promised to even change sports, and try his hands at boxing or even grappling if the UFC got rid of him.

“I’m kind of like on that verge of coaching but I’m kind of like no, I still want to fight, I still want to compete… We go do something else [if he cannot fight in the UFC]… I’ve always competed in wrestling shoes and that’s the one thing and I know that I’ve always wanted to wrestle so there’s a lot of different things, there’s grappling too,” he said.

Now that the UFC may be looking to book him against Diaz, who like the lightweight star has crossed the 40-year-old mark, and is also clearly at the end of his rope, the calls for him to retire may recall reach a critical mass. To the point that the UFC may indeed cut him after the rumored Diaz fight, which would be such a shame.

Not to mention how humiliating it would be for ‘El Cucuy’, who will have gone from a fan-favorite superstar to becoming someone fans do not even want to watch and Dana White (who has said he would ‘love’ for Ferguson to retire) wants to get rid of. What are our thoughts on the rumored matchup between Tony Ferguson and Nick Diaz?