Ariel Helwani Reacts to Tony Ferguson's Anger At UFC: 'It's Becoming A Lot More Of The Norm'

Ariel Helwani reacts to Tony Ferguson's appearance at the #UFC274 media day where the former interim lightweight champion compared Dana White to a drug dealer and talked about how he'd been treated by the promotion.
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[@sanatsrivastava2814]

•one of the most innovative, creative fighters of all time. •12 fight win streak going through fighters in their peak in the toughest division ever •Interim champ. •Never missed a weight and came to the UFC through the toughest place (TUF) •Never said no to any fight Tony is literally a LW GOAT and he got stripped off his interim belt after he fell and was forced to cut weight twice against Gaethje. Underpaid all his life. Sad to see Tony undergo so much. Keep your head up, champ.

[@crashfraz98]

As much as I love Tony he wasn’t forced to cut weight twice for that gaethje fight he did that to himself because he’s a savage, but it was a bad decision that’s just the type of dude he is, he’ll go down as a legend either way but gaethje took his soul in that fight he hasn’t looked the same since

[@chetterbezly3905]

He’s a cry baby. He brought everything in his self. If he would stop playing the victim and get on his grind he would be way more successful

[@TheDonchido]

Cry baby? Get on his grind? Bro you don’t have a clue wtf it takes to fight.

[@wildnwill6138]

@@chetterbezly3905 get on his grind...he's 38, do you not know what he's done? Casual

[@nyfolkhero]

Man I’ve never heard Tony speak so clearly before. What a legend.

[@rickybobby76]

Well he just rambled for 20 minutes with no point. But I will admit I'm glad to have him back

[@oldironsides4107]

With no point? He made dozens of points

[@billywashere6965]

@@rickybobby76 Apparently someone has a comprehension disability if you think he didn't have a point.

[@henryowens396]

@@rickybobby76 tony's incoherent ramblings about baseball and fighting are stuff of legend. this was not one of them. it was a powerful, clear and concise statement

[@daviddesorcy]

@@rickybobby76 , What? That was one of the best Tony Ferguson's best interviews that I have ever seen.

[@EyesonEnforcement911]

I feel for Tony. The man is literally expressing his true self. Get your bag my man, you're an absolute legend. Let's go TONY!!!!

[@fantasyfilters580]

Love Tony he's given so much to the sport as well !

[@marcgottlieb9579]

My comment above is true so the best thing is now Tony has Christ in his life..

[@ceceroxy2227]

He will get his walking papers after this fight or next

[@Make_Me_A_Sandwhich]

He’s gonna get more Cte than money

[@logoutjason4689]

Bro he's bitter because he's been losing. he's a narcissist, and he's deflecting the blame on to everybody else

[@chunksbechunking]

Tony's transition from diehard fan favourite to grizzled vet shooting from the hip bout to make this grown man cry. Want nothing but the best for this man.

[@alexanderbarrera9906]

@@YearsOVDecay1 lol why are white people so mad when Latinos or blacks are proud of their people? Sorry we're not white-supremacist enough for you 😔

[@tristhekid]

Tony is a legend. Always in the hearts of die hard MMA fans

[@salsanchez6493]

I hate how ufc treated him love Tony he give me Johnny deep court vibes in this interview I felt bad for him the company shut on him his whole career 🤦🏽 shame ufc brass

[@lbertlopez83]

Hope he wins!!!

[@srisukmaniah5782]

But why? Why nate vs khamzat? Why not nate vs tony at 170? Or nate vs conor 3. Or tony vs conor? Or nate vs masvidal 2? Or nate vs colby? Or nate vs wonderboy?

[@donsq4306]

Imagine UFC paying in crypto.

[@yaushaeomessias4837]

@@srisukmaniah5782 because they want to destroy Nate’s name.

[@godofthisshit]

That's why Francis position have to be respected, he's speaking out when he's on the up. When things are clicking for a fighter, they often get angry at the media for even asking questions.

[@Cub__]

💯 and people who have been disrespecting francis's decisions are nothing blessing shill l not huggers that don't actually care about the fighters whatsoever and shouldn't call themselves "Fans" it's pathetic really. The fighters are what make everything afloat idk how people can seriously side with an organization over the fighters themselves, it's so lame.

[@RZ6787]

@D. Lindsay the fact you can't see the bigger picture is amazing.Man you're not the sharpest tool in the shed huh

[@JohnSmith-yd5wq]

@@Cub__ or they just know Francis will get destroyed

[@slXD100]

things weren't really clicking for Francis though, he started complaining first because he didn't have enough money due to lack of fights, then he realized they gaid paid too little. it's not like he was McGregor, but yes, good that he speaks out.

[@CT-mw7fn]

@D. Lindsay Francis has the heavyweight title he has all the leverage in the world especially after beating gane

[@rainehernandez8345]

12-fight win streak and not getting ONE legitimate title is the one of biggest travesties in MMA history. Heartbreaking to think of for Tony, one of the true GOATs of the sport.

[@felix3033]

There was opportunities but luck wasn’t on his side

[@necreations1024]

Ariel I really respect how you have the cajones to speak out against the UFC. You’ve been the first and biggest critic for all the right reasons

[@mr.brenman2132]

He's not the first but he also doesn't give the other side of the argument. He's a sophist to some degree like most "journalists" .

[@CastrationNation]

@@mr.brenman2132 the "other side" of the argument is given by all the other journalists 24/7

[@noicemate9111]

@@mr.brenman2132 the “other side” is given like everyone else just like the guy above me said, and yes he has multiple times. There’s not much of another argument. Every time Dana gets pressed about stuff like this he always ends with” if you don’t like how we pay, go somewhere else” which basically proves there really ain’t much of another side. Dan hardy got 5 and 5 for a fight way over a decade ago. Ufc has litterally quadrupled in fans since then and now paddy the baddy is getting 10 and 10😂 there is no argument dawg

[@floatinggoose9197]

Gobble gobble gobble

[@Sir1626]

@@mr.brenman2132 other side = smoke and mirrors from Dana White about how "everyone always wants more money" blah blah blah. Dana's just another promoter trying to make the most money out of his fighters meanwhile the P4P best fighter (Usman) and his manager are begging for a boxing match against Canelo

[@m1keyfreshhh256]

Tony is the man. He expresses himself so honestly and in such a relatable way. Hes essential to the sport and he must be protected at all costs. Love you Tony. Will be rooting for you this weekend !

[@danoliver3053]

Tony is great and one of a kind, and I'm rooting for him in this next fight, but I wouldn't say he's good at expressing himself. I understood his point in this monologue, but Tony is well known as a weird guy who uses cryptic language and bizarre analogies to express himself usually. So I don't know what you're on about suddenly describing him as honest and relatable.

[@SammyBooy2814]

@@danoliver3053 yeah I was about to comment something similar,I agree with everything tony said but he said it in the most tony way possible haha

[@passofar]

@@danoliver3053 doesn't have to be relatable to everybody.

[@passofar]

@@SammyBooy2814 he mixes too many things but it does feel very clear for me. It's just straight forward. He was actually able to talk internal feelings and external perceptions, media and fans, company and being a company boy and unfair treatment. Mixing all that in a career overview while attacking many aspects of "the game" and get the point across is not so simple when you have the mic with the cameras in front and clock is ticking. I wouldn't say he said in the most Tony way, maybe in the least Tony way. See from 3:08. He even speaks to those which are confused and scared about his mental issues.

[@Claimer_YT]

This should have been a Ted talk. Tony hit multiple nails on the head, great analogies he's clearly thought of with his time off.

[@zachnotzack4]

Call Tony weird if you want, dude was spitting factoids that’ll go over a lot of peoples heads. Man is a legend and has my respect as a warrior. However, I got Chandler winning this weekend. Hopefully it’s entertaining.

[@billywashere6965]

Yeah I don't get all these people saying "he's weird" or "making no sense", when everything he said had a very clear-cut point and he very eloquently explained what his state of mind is and WHY it's that way and HOW he even got to where he is with his thinking. He gave anecdotes, examples, and some history lessons about the journey leading up to this fight... I literally have no idea how people say say he's being "weird" or "making no sense". His state of mind and everything he talked about -- especially if he can pull out the win this Saturday -- is LITERALLY the foundation for an award-winning sports drama. In many ways it's a more high-profile story of the original Rocky.

[@fabolousjada5070]

Bro he’s gonna win lol watch his muscle mass is way better and he’s not training crazy no more

[@a.z.3818]

@@fabolousjada5070 I'll come back to your comment, bro lol

[@tubadude07]

@@billywashere6965 agreed, I’m pulling for him.

[@MaSsiVeGaming1]

I honestly don't get it when people say he makes no sense or that he's an idiot for the way he talks. Tony is actually quite well spoken. Listen to his vocabulary and word choice. Alright, sometimes he goes on some tangents or he doesn't conclude a thought before he moves on to the next one, but he is quite intelligent and the things he says are clearly thought about.

[@addidiivincii6597]

This guy is a legend sad to treat him like that and not even respect him

[@drive-2786]

He has to win some fights mate 😎

[@Dawidek3212]

@@drive-2786 he only get hard matchups after lose to Gajethe

[@nancygonzalez5423]

@@Dawidek3212 22

[@marcoduvall4404]

Amen

[@marcoduvall4404]

@George Washington and you George... you mustn't forget yourself brethren

[@policyeditor5835]

Tony has done much for the UFC and is greatly underappreciated.

[@ceceroxy2227]

not really, he has fought and been a very good fighter, but he hasnt brought in the money for the UFC and thats what they want.

[@sunleo6161]

@@ceceroxy2227 hes a draw period

[@jacob4690]

@@sunleo6161 no he isn’t 😂😂

[@ceceroxy2227]

@@sunleo6161 I think he has been a very good fighter and has a certain fan base. Tell me how many ppv's tony has sold and how many cards he has headlined. His fight with Justin was probably his biggest fight which sold some decent ppv's, other than that his fight vs Kevin lee did abysmal numbers. Sorry but he certainly isnt a draw, a good fighter with a good career, but his time is done, probably will be cut after this or next fight.

[@willsk7068]

They kept Connie away from him for a reason.

[@briantneary2248]

Say what you want about Ariel, but his love for this sport is next to none. It's admirable that he's given a plethora of fighters a platform through the years to vent their truths, when others would not. He uses his platform to speak for those people when no one else will, too.

[@thatindiandude4602]

@Raikouka it's obvious why Dana hates Ariel's guts. But, he has successfully painted this guy as a weasel.

[@andrewrobertson3894]

I agree. Ariel is a legend really and his name is synonymous with MMA. Also, it might pay to remember that he's definitely not the first to fall foul of Dana White.

[@louieashwood640]

He does it for views, it's self serving he's a leech on the sport. There is a reason he's banned from the events

[@folksurvival]

This is from UFC media day thing, not Ariel.

[@CityLightSafe]

Tony can be weird (not in a disrespectful way) at times, but man, he was so on point and clear! Love this insight from him.

[@fantasyfilters580]

Love Tony's weirdness haha but ya he's making sense

[@ramonbriones4487]

Dana and the brass doesn't..that's why they fed him to chandler

[@CityLightSafe]

@@ramonbriones4487 It’s tough first round for Tony. After that, his chances are real

[@jakobnance5277]

Tony is one of the greatest and most unique fighters we have ever seen. Its a damn tragedy how the UFC had treated him I hope he wins Saturday and gets back to title contention.

[@andrewdavidwhyte]

Not after stepping Dana out he won’t …but he deserves it, proper legend.

[@djhergert1995]

You can't feel too bad. The guy has had more opportunities to get into the title picture and he either gets hurt or he gets his ass beat.

[@aliadwan7999]

@@djhergert1995 Or Khabib is too busy pulling out.

[@Lord_of_the_Pies]

It goes without saying the reason he feels underpaid is missed his last 3 win bonuses!

[@Suave121]

@@djhergert1995 someone just started watching

[@yesbwana]

Heartbreaking. I remember how stoked T was to be a part of the UFC, how much he's given.

[@marcoduvall4404]

🙏

[@thehighcommunity247]

Str8 Up.

[@RybackTV]

Literally took the WWE model and copied it to a T. It’s disgusting. Good for him speaking up.

[@InDigoConcept__]

You’re just a WWE reject that is pissed off that you couldn’t get over like that Fake ass Goldberg

[@dalcow1101]

Legendary words from Tony. The ability to speak in public and perform in the ring, keep your cool… it’s an art within itself. I hope Tony gets the W. I hope they start paying the fighters more, I’m a dana fan but if I met him, I would ask him to pay more to the fighters from A long time fan of the UFC.

[@jackdaniels2905]

Here here.

[@Jc-si6pj]

Run your own business and pay them ! Don’t abuse your fast workers they deserve better pay too ahd also Tony did insurance fraud he already hurt his leg and went to Fox and did a “slip and fall”

[@jefferyflood]

You cant be a fan of the MIXED MARTIAL ARTS as a sport and say your a Dana fan. Dana is one of the most disrespectful people to his own fighters he works with. It's definitely a recurring theme all the time

[@Jc-si6pj]

@@jefferyflood he’s also one of the nicest guys

[@marcoduvall4404]

🏆 🥇

[@mustafataee7523]

The audacity to say “boxers are overpaid” when you pay your fighters barely enough money to pay their coaches and flights is beyond me

[@christianchavez8194]

Right! Overpaid for putting their life on the line..

[@bigpapi6688]

@@christianchavez8194 Ypu just can’t even make that argument. Boxers bring in what they make. That’s common sense. That’s how mma fighters SHOULD be paid. I love Dana but man he’s an idiot sometimes

[@vuk2887]

i mean, this came from the same guy who said "this isnt a carear, this is an opportunity". apsolutely disgusting behaviour. I keep repeating myself in these comments, but Dan Hooker made $145,000 for the Poirier fight. You might think thats a lot of money, but thats not the amount he earned. Income tax in New Zealand is 40%, gym takes 5%, coaches take 10%. Without counting his menager, Dan made $65000 as a Top 5 Fighter in the toughest devision in the world! That is disgracefull. Go and watch the post-fight behind-the-scenes look video, and tell me these guys arent slaves to a broken system. But who cares... cant wait for some 12yo kid on the internet to call these warriors "broke bums"

[@jonathancharles3719]

@@vuk2887 exactly and he has a wife and kids and also house bills

[@FlyingArmBarU]

He is not talking about all boxers. Thousands of professional boxers barely scratch 10k per fight and many work regular jobs to suppliment their income. Dana is talking about elite boxers who make upwards of 50 million per fight

[@kimfaber117]

So proud of Tony for speaking His truth. Wish more fighters would be men, like him, and speak up. Tony = real Champion, no belt required.

[@NinjaSquirrel30]

Nothing but respect for you Tony A people's champ.

[@oooo1110]

Speak for yourself he aint no champion of ours. 😄

[@EddyCusani]

Most coherent I’ve heard Tony talk. I actually appreciate this Tony more than the act. He’s talking facts and is an exciting fighter. One of toughest and most exciting fighters in the UFC. Diaz vs Ferguson would be a great fight. Both tough as nails.

[@upsidedahead]

For the BMF belt

[@barellaz]

I don't he ever was an act

[@drunkenjams7498]

There is no act. Just different moods

[@osamabinrotten4378]

Yeah I saw a lot of people acting like Tony has severe CTE before his interviews. Haven't seen those people around the comments much since Tony got on the Mic and started dropping FACTS

[@torronbrown7063]

I don’t blame tony Ferguson I’ll be pissed to the ufc has never done this guy any favors never gave him his money fight with mcgregor either

[@torronbrown7063]

How exactly is Ferguson a bum let me guess are you basing that on his 3 loses

[@hitmanabhi007]

@@tanishazoa138 Hi Troll.

[@RikoRey92]

@@tanishazoa138 because Tony had the interim an it was time to unify, but McGregor ran. you must be a new to this sport lol

[@DeadSensei8269]

@@tanishazoa138 khabib kept ducking Tony and his manager ali planned to pull him out of the fight last minute to put him against gaethje to bamboozle him since he prepared for khabib not a striker instead because they didn’t want khabib getting cut open for the first time they wanted him to remain un touched

[@oldironsides4107]

You don’t like khabib or tony. Who do you like? Or so you just hate on people and find happiness when a successful person fails?

[@ikeh8987]

Tony especially has valid reasons to be upset what he said is true ufc prioritized khabib n Connor instead of him aswell ... n if u don't know what he was talking about with the Riccardo amala act when he says u know what I'm talking about? He's talking about his management time was managing him Connor owned a stake in that company and probably interferred with tonys matchmaking to prioritize connors interests

[@LitPenguin713]

@Eight Loco Connor part owner was fighting in ufc at the same time. A manager can’t fight in the same league.

[@abtwopoint0]

Yeah and Conor back handed Tony in an interview saying he was Conor's employee and that they represented him amazingly and Tony was just mad because he wanted a minor league baseball contract so he fired paradigm.... and Tony had to remind Conor that management is actually Tony's employee as he pays them

[@shadow-ex7so]

Khabib took the long road too..

[@starkiller3098]

You are wrong about Khabib tho, his road to becoming ufc championship fight wasn't easy, it wasn't handed to him like Dana did to Conor

[@robertgerrard]

Ambala Act is interesting 🤔 I remember when Tony was with Paradigm management but he knew that going in right and he did get the chance to fight Khabib 5 times.I respect Tony Ferguson a lot and agree with everything he said pretty much.The UFC are obviously shady AF and good luck to Tony Ferguson in his fight.

[@e13kid]

Paddy getting 12/12 and being the main draw for UFC London says it all.

[@TheeDevilWearsPrada]

What is 12/12 supposed to mean? Is that a date?

[@gaucho8170]

@@TheeDevilWearsPrada $12k to show & $12k to win= $24k

[@mattreyes4803]

@@TheeDevilWearsPrada they gave paddy peanuts of what he's worth

[@itsginofelino]

@@TheeDevilWearsPrada he accepted the contract

[@DavidLopez-vc2tf]

@@itsginofelino he’s young and that’s how they get you

[@FunkRockGroove]

Tony is the first ever to finally say that Dana is overpaid.

[@millhouse313]

Khabib knew what he was doing when he got out. Dana milks people for everything that he can, and there’s not many that retire on good terms with the ufc or Dana.

[@DaDaLFG]

Fighters like Tony risk their own life to put on a Tremendous Show so that he can make enough money to provide for his family, major respect to The Boogeyman!

[@ryane7906]

Blood sweat tears heartache and still disrespected by the company… gotta respect Tony. Make a solid soldier

[@JOHNfuknRAMBO]

This is the most coherent, intelligible Tony Ferguson I have ever heard.

[@samg013]

These are the most clear, coherent and true words Tony has said. One of my favourite fighters and I’m glad he’s figured it out for himself. I wish him all the best and I hope he gets back to winning

[@andrewbathish9265]

Good for Tony. I love people that speak how they really feel on the ufc

[@jacob4690]

Wasn’t doing it when he was winning though..

[@worer850]

Tony is 100% correct. Respect for speaking the truth . 💯

[@hugonongbri8100]

UFC has to realize at some point, you have to start paying these guys. Its a really bad look for the sport and promotion when the top 2 guys are campaigning for boxing fights. Look at the number of former champs who dont have good things to say about UFC and the top brass. The way they handle things, this will only end up in a union being formed and a shitload of lawsuits

[@BrainFuck10]

It's not just the top 2 guys, even Nate Diaz is trying to leave and box

[@tubadude07]

Insurance should be a thing too, especially when all these fighters are putting their bodies on the line

[@ninosnineveh4512]

Ufc should just give these guys some kabab sandwiches.

[@ceceroxy2227]

they will only have to pay people more when the fighters galvanize as a group. They are their to make profit, and if the fighters go along with it, then nothing will change.

[@Happy26210]

@@ninosnineveh4512 Dana: “I love this kid”

[@jacksdad734]

I love the UFC but they have to start paying more. I dont want to feel guilty like Im part of people being treated unfairly.

[@billywashere6965]

Yeah that's part of the problem.... watching UFC feels guilty now when you look at how little the fighters are respected.

[@renemejias2986]

Just stop caring. I'm sure you use Amazon and their workers get treated like dirt.

[@craigman7262]

@@renemejias2986 yup or the people that work fast food.

[@ibabdi3806]

@@renemejias2986 we have to start somewhere Bro. This is what they want, us to lose hope.

[@alohatigers1199]

In the NBA, there is a “collective bargaining agreement” deal. This deal split the profits between ALL owners and All athletes. The percentage is currently 51% owners/49% athletes. And with the whole Ben Simmons situation, there’s no doubt the owners will want to regain their power and control back. The UFC on the other hand doesn’t have a “CBA” deal. So it’s the UFC that gets to decide how much can they split the profits. And I know it’s less than 20%. Now, with that 20% split, I know that majority of the 20% goes towards the actual ranked players and I know the non ranked players gets less. Some of them sign the “$10k L/$20k W” contract. That’s poverty wage if you think about it. Let’s assume someone doesn’t sign it, someone will and that individual don’t have the negotiation power so it’s a “take it or leave it” type of situation. UFC and DANA knows this. They know there is a demand and none of signees have the power to change it. The only solution is for all UFC fighters to create a Union, a “Fighters association” like NBA players association. If there is a CBA deal and a 49% for all fighter, then that means a fighter that has a “$10k L/$10k W” contract will make $50k just to show up and $50k to win. That is $100k per win. If a fighter loses, at least he gets $100k. That’s the best deal a non ranked fighter can make. And can definitely motivate non ranked fighters. No doubt.

[@clutch7548]

The difference is NBA players have 80-90 games to play every season. Fighters all fight at different times dude. They can fight once a year. So its not simple. Not to mention NBA contracts control their whole lives even in the off season. Its a way more of a round-the-clock job. UFC fighters have less rights but 10x more freedom. But of course, i want them to get paid way more

[@jcl9034]

@@clutch7548 UFC contracts control the fighters lives too. They cant have sponsorships they cannot go fight in other sports or do other sports, Ngannou almost got hit with a lawsuit for talking about a boxing fight in the future.

[@oliverkell6103]

One of the best interviews I’ve seen this year, the way a top level guy in Tony is opening up about the power the UFC has over fighters. If only a fighter union could truly get some steam that’s be great

[@CarlosMartinez-ou9gt]

Tony Ferguson is the heart and spirit of MMA. The man is a legend who has fought non stop killers for years. Chandler gets finished

[@simonsimpe]

Stop it bro I love Tony but if you think hes gonna finish Chandler you have to be delusional cmon now.

[@CarlosMartinez-ou9gt]

@@simonsimpe chandler has 1 win in the ufc.

[@simonsimpe]

@@CarlosMartinez-ou9gt Thats because hes fought killers, almost finished Oliveira and had a good scrap with Justin, hes a former bellator champion with amazing resume. Tony on the other hand is on a 3 fight lose streak ....

[@CarlosMartinez-ou9gt]

@@simonsimpe yeah against gatheje, Charles and Benny dariush. Top of the food chain killers. Tony has been fighting guys like that for years too

[@simonsimpe]

@@CarlosMartinez-ou9gt yes but its also the way Tony lost, look at his numbers against Charles and Dariush, its all time low. Chandler even though he lost two, lost to probably the two best fighters in the division and still looked good.

[@remingtonporter1734]

Fighters need to test their value in Free Agency... Would love to see this guy along with Nate Diaz... Francis Ngannou... Luke Rockhold... & several others go to Bellator MMA!

[@rickross5483]

The whole point is they can't because every time they get close to the end of their contract they extend it with long multi-fight deals and if you don't sign well then you don't get good fights for you or for your pocketbook

[@rickross5483]

That's exactly what's happening to Nate Diaz he wanted to fight with the legend someone that had a giant name instead they give him kamzet who of course is a big name now but has five fights in the game and is an absolute killer that's 26 years old it won't be a contest unfortunately

[@mason9807]

ferguson vs diaz should happen in bellator.

[@jacob4690]

As if Bellator will pay them loads more? 😂😂😂😂

[@rickross5483]

@@jacob4690 not even close but the UFC is like the NFL where bellator is like that lead Johnny manziel and Terrell Owens are playing it the UFC sets the pay scale. You can't start from the bottom and fix the top you got to fix the head of the beast hahah I just think it would be dope if some of these younger kids could actually pay for their medicals on their own but I'm just a stupid Carpenter

[@KodyWalker]

Tony is the type of guy to be The Peoples Champion

[@theDavidChannel1]

Sounds to me like Tony was being pushed to take fights and being the "company man" that he was he accepted them all. He was already the interim champ. All he had to do was wait for Khabib But instead he took fights against Pettis, Cowboy and Gaethje and put it all on the line and lost. Losing the title shot doesnt even count all the unnecessary damage he took in those fights. Meanwhile Khabib was off every summer for Ramadan and it was never an issue.

[@sameerandrabi1560]

Cry

[@blahblah-if3nf]

Thats why the gods sacrificed his dad for his sins of ducking Ferguson

[@sameerandrabi1560]

@@blahblah-if3nf by that logic you would've been long gone for you are a bastard

[@mattwarrington1]

@@sameerandrabi1560 an intelligent response

[@marcofantesini5058]

The perfect example of what tony is saying is how the ufc treathed Anderson Silva just look at his last 3 fights he was 45 years old and he got feed to izzy cannonier and hall all off them 10 years younger than him and on a run. He should have fought other legends in fair fights nobody think hall or cannonier are better than silva and none of them was made a star by the spider sacrifice

[@RM-ru3fk]

Imagine if they do khamzat v Diaz like they want, same thing, it’s ridiculous

[@trayyoutube]

Yeah I’m a dana fan but he’s a real life Scrooge McDuck. Anyone that can’t see that is out of their gourd

[@siddhantjaiswal4231]

More veterans like tony need to come out and speak.. Tony's the man.. Saying it like it is!

[@baldfrogtv]

Man I love Tony, he's been through so much. A man's man a true warrior and legend of the sport.

[@Kaushalkhatri3004]

Tony was supposed to fight on 18th April 2020, on 16/17th, his fight got cancelled, he still made weight. UFC rescheduled the fight to May 10, which Tony should not have taken, but being a company man he did. All this when he was supposed to fight Khabib till April 10th, a completely different fighting style.

[@Nana406]

This guy is a savage. Anytime he paused when talking, it felt like I was having Internet connection issues 🤣🤣🤣

[@danabrownprivaledge]

these clowns charge $74.99 per ppv and alot of ppl are goinng to pay that, lets be real alot of those buys are beacuse of tony's fight

[@MS-mr4zm]

I’m 10000% honest when I tell you I am more interested in seeing Lauzon vs Chandler & Tony vs Chandler than I am Gaetje vs Oliveira……

[@craigman7262]

Yeah I think they should pay based on what they bring in. You have poor ppv u shouldn't get much

[@Ryan-ys2bq]

I order every month regardless so I guess the UFC should keep all the money!

[@2D_Stranger]

Tony is paving the way for a new era of fighters who will be willing stand up for themselves.

[@scogentaz9824]

I love Tony. Hope he does well this Saturday! Such a down to earth person.

[@mr.oblivious7034]

This is the reason I respect Ariel Helwani so much. He's the only journalist that's willing to speak up for the fighters and shine a light on how the UFC is treating them. All the other journalists are probably keeping their mouths shut cause they're afraid to get blacklisted by Dana and the UFC

[@crd88918]

I love Tony Ferguson. I love what he has brought to every fight that he's been a part of and I just hope that Tony is able to live a comfortable live for himself and his family when its his time to put the gloves down. He has given more to the sport than most and will always be a legend.

[@LumpyYT]

We all need a little bit of Tony in our lives

[@dinkin_flicka14]

Thanks for always speaking up for fighters Ariel. You're doing a great job

[@angryzombie8088]

Tony Ferguson is such a legend, putting up an empty shelf just so that he can feel the emptiness. Damn he deserve better than that. He is like Guts in Berserk, always on a struggle.

[@marrokraff998]

Guts is on another level

[@angryzombie8088]

@@marrokraff998 Guts is a fictional character in a fictional manga/anime. From how I see it the stripped Interim belt is Caska & Dana White is the White Falcon, Griffith.

[@marrokraff998]

@@angryzombie8088 of course I know that guts is a fictional anime character! Why would I even bother to reply if I didn't? But no and no with regards to Ferguson being Guts and Dana White being Griffith. Not even close! If you want to make a comparison although there arent any that are perfect. Ryo Mashiba in Hajime no Ippo would be a closer fit to Tony Ferguson. And Dana White is simply uncle Fester in the Adams Family. That's a closer resemblance for both to be honest

[@ricardooliva8916]

Tony starting to go through the Jim Carrey transformation

[@colinlarson9656]

This is why I love Tony. He will always be Tony. God Bless.

[@putin2918]

Dayuuuuum Tony on fire 🔥 His head is finally in the right place.. no clowning straight up raw. I hope he's not throwing sand anymore... You're a legend tony, good to have you back

[@codymachado]

One of the best press conference interviews ever

[@markwhitt8256]

Tony in a true inspiration. He deserves millions.

[@coldskyrim]

In the entertainment industry contracts don’t mean squat really. it’s all about leverage to determine the language in the contract to begin with

[@RAdams9090]

Tony is the man

[@fantasyfilters580]

Love Tony he's given so much entertainment to the sport . 12 fight win streak and one of the OGS definitely deserves a good payday

[@grumpyhawk509]

Thank you Areil Helwani You are the man the myth the Legend that has always stuck up for these fine Men & Women! 👍🏽👊🏽😎💯

[@kings17court]

Wow. Just when you think Tony is just a whack job, he makes you realize otherwise. This was as sensible and un-whacky as I think I've ever heard Tony. Respect.

[@Andy-sz2dt]

I’m rooting for Tony.

[@mikebarreras26]

Much love from Albuquerque New Mexico

[@markstulzer]

Ariel & Tony always speaking facts

[@jaydenlisowski6957]

tony is a uncrowned hall of famer

[@Times397]

Such a bad look for the UFC for this to be constantly happening. Dana can’t keep saying, “everybody wants to make more money.” We do not see this outcry with NBA, MLB, NFL players. The UFC is absolutely on par with those brands because they have so much guaranteed revenue and they are a multi billion dollar company.

[@Neil-ym2zo]

I hate to even argue this side, but the UFC is not a monopoly. I think some of the stuff Dana does and says sucks, but what's stopping another promotion from paying these guys what they think they're worth. They'd get the top talent eventually, but no one is doing it. I'm not sure what that means, but I know if someone with a shitload of money had a long term vision of this they'd have the opportunity to come in and take the market if paying the athletes more could keep them profitable. Sucks for Tony, but the same thing happens in other sports when a star starts to decline.

[@Trancedd]

Spoken with heart and sincerity, well said my men. xx

[@DreamSur13]

And this is why Tony is my favorite fighter I wish more fighters would speak up

[@KONAMAN100]

Gosh what an interview. Tony really captured my attention. He really is the kinda guy.

[@Cub__]

No matter what Tony is the man and he's talking the truth 💯

[@zakaria8085]

Thank you Ariel too for Spread this suffering that fighters are going through which nobody talks about they think tony is joking, no body have the balls to talk about that,. Thanks mma fighting,

[@SuperBlueMoonWA]

I knew ariel would be all over this as soon as I heard it 🤣

[@C3ZZY123z]

Yea he ain't gonna mention wt Cowboy said though. And Ariel and all these cry babies must not remember when they were nobody's like us normal people barely making it before Dana gave them a chance to become who they are today but they to dumb to remember and realize that.

[@supakhan23]

Like a moth to a flame 😂

[@donaldseigel4101]

Uhmmmm, yeah Ariel has been at the forefront in supporting better pay and conditions for MMA fighters.

[@johnholmes2745]

Yeah maybe because he’s a journalist

[@SuperBlueMoonWA]

@@donaldseigel4101 obviously

[@morpheusdezion]

Love Tony speaking some truth about Dana & the UFC. Casuals need to hear this.

[@rexyz5875]

So you need to hear it? Cuz youre a casusl yourself

[@kurtkish6970]

Supposed “crazy Tony” sounds sharp as a tack here. If he wins I’m gonna cry for joy- I’ll admit it.

[@edishusidic1960]

been waiting for this

[@Nobody-bq7pl]

This is the realest interview I’ve ever seen from a fighter. Tony is a f’cking legend.

[@leandroantelo7154]

Damn the first time in a decade that tony says things with sense, and with really sense

[@ramonbriones4487]

No disrespect...maybe he's back on the meds. It was well spoken

[@StallionFernando]

I'm just glad more and more fighters are speaking out against the UFC.

[@ElCyberWizard]

I was waiting for the media to start reacting to his interview

[@AYOnYASS]

The fact that he saying all this and is sober is legendary

[@LCEdits694]

Respect for this guy 💯💯

[@chiefcuningcoyote4906]

You can clearly see this man thought a lot when he was away

[@markadlawan417]

Dam I'm speechless. First time I've ever heard Ferguson speak and be vulnerable like that. Tony's a living legend

[@dorianmckenzie9888]

Heartbreaking. But very impactful and muchly muchly needed to be said and hopefully felt.

[@montanathreehunna]

If this says anything Bob Arum has been promoting fights since 1973, has a net worth of 300 million. Boxer's he has promoted are also worth millions, some 1-3m, 5m, 10m, 50m+. Compare that with Dana and the UFC where Dana is worth 500 million and outside of Conor his highest paid fighter is worth under 10 million.

[@Ryan-ys2bq]

Ok now name all the first fighters on Arums cards and their pay vs whoever is on first on Saturday?

[@montanathreehunna]

@@Ryan-ys2bq name all the fighters on Arums cards vs saturdays UFC? That's a lot of card man cant do it. But next card is Janibek vs Dignum for the WBO middleweight belt. Jamel Herrings on the card who lost his WBO junior lw belt to Shakur Stevenson. As far as pay no idea, it's hard getting numbers on how much boxers actually make out side of main event boxers because its not usually made public which is the same for the UFC.

[@montanathreehunna]

But I also couldnt tell you who is fighting saturday for UFC besides Ferguson vs Chandler tbh. Only fight I care about on the card and dont know how much they make but I do know Tony's pissed about how he's been treated and having his Interim belt stripped off an injury that happened promoting a fight ran by the UFC. In boxing their are sanctioning bodies that determine who is world champion, interim champion etc, not the promoter.

[@montanathreehunna]

Just looked up 274 and thats a banger of a Main card those come around very few and far between you have to admit that. If you look up just a random card there are few known names and you couldnt tell me how much they make, and it's not much.

[@mikazand7029]

Tony' has been shat on ... It's been heartbreaking to watch... He spoke well.. he is going to wrestle

[@michaeljdt9235]

Love tony man what a message… hope and pray he wins

[@jimboryan9715]

We all love you Tony.... the legend telling it like it is!

[@brunomartins349]

Imagine saying that fighters are overpaid while paying 200k/300k to someone main eventing a mma fight.

[@danyo6938]

Respect to Ariel for understanding and highlighting Tony.

[@acidheist]

Tony is a legend of the sport. Thanks for shining a light on his plight Ariel.

[@aleskaresquivel4700]

Tony is can range from being a meme like character to full sports commentator. I appreciate him stepping out and telling us how it is.

[@TomCL-vb6xc]

Ever since I was made aware of what UFC fighters - from big names like Tony to the guys fighting first on the card - get paid I’ve been waiting for more fighters to speak up. I’m all for workers getting paid and rich people getting shafted. Power to the fighters, it’s time for Dana to pay people what they are worth .

[@ynwa9558]

Tony sounds like he’s taken time to love himself again

[@MattHumphrey2408]

Perfectly Said Brother! I feel this deeply!

[@Tofa_illo]

one thing i love about tony is how effortlessly vulnerable he can be