Tony Ferguson will have a chance to get his career back on track on May 15 when he faces Beneil Dariush at UFC 262 in a battle of fighters whose careers are trending very different directions. News of the fight was first reported by MMA Junkie, with the outlet stating that contracts have not yet been finalized.
After COVID-19 scratched Ferguson's plans to fight lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov -- a fight that was scheduled and canceled on five separate occasions between 2015 and 2020 -- Ferguson met Justin Gaethje for the interim lightweight title in the main event of UFC 249. Ferguson was battered by Gaethje throughout the fight before being stopped in the fifth round. The loss to Gaethje snapped a 12-fight winning streak that dated back to 2013.
Attempting to bounce back from the loss to Gaethje, Ferguson met Charles Oliveira in December at UFC 256. Oliveira repeatedly took Ferguson to the ground with ease and dominated the fight through his grappling, scoring an upset and giving Ferguson the first back-to-back losses of his career.
After an 0-2-1 stretch that lasted a year beginning in March 2017, Dariush has gone on the best run of his career. During his current six-fight winning streak, Dariush has scored multiple highlight-reel finishes. Along the way, Dariush has picked up three Performance of the Night bonuses as well as one bonus for Fight of the Night.
OH MY GOODNESS! @BeneilDariush w/ the spinning back fist! #UFCVegas6 on E+ pic.twitter.com/ahMwbRJkbM
— UFC (@ufc) August 9, 2020
Both Dariush and Ferguson are face-first fighters who apply pressure and have high offensive output, making this one of the most exciting fights on the upcoming UFC calendar. The two men have combined for 14 post-fight bonuses since 2015.
The UFC has not yet confirmed a location for the event, though it is assumed UFC 262 will take place at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, barring any states being open for full-capacity events as COVID-19 vaccinations continue nationwide.
