Published 13:55 IST, May 11th 2020
Tony Ferguson suffers broken eye socket during brutal UFC 249 defeat to Justin Gaethje
Former interim lightweight champion Tony Ferguson suffered an orbital fracture and broke his eye socket while fighting Justin Gaethje at UFC 249.
Apart from witnessing his first UFC loss in eight years, Tony Ferguson ‘El Cucuy’ also suffered some serious damage in his fight against Justin Gaethje. The former UFC interim lightweight champion suffered a broken orbital and a broken eye socket as he almost got manhandled by ‘The Highlight’ at the main event of UFC 249. Though Tony Ferguson was considered to be the favourite in the contest, Justin Gaethje stunned the world by knocking out Tony Ferguson for the interim lightweight strap.
UFC 249: Tony Ferguson injury update after orbital fracture and broken eye socket
Throughout the fight, Tony Ferguson survived some heavy jabs from Justin Gaethje which ultimately changed his facial structure as the fight ended. Tony Ferguson’s chin also suffered considerable damage as 'El Cucuy' took some of Justin Gaethje’s best shots and still managed to stay on his feet till the final rounds. However, as soon as it appeared that Tony Ferguson was no longer in the fight, referee Herb Dean intervened and called off the contest in round five. In the post-fight medical checkup, it was revealed that Tony Ferguson's orbital structure and eye socket were broken in the fight.
It turned out to be a disappointing night for Tony Ferguson and his fans, but ‘El Cucuy’ stated that it was not his night and he will bounce back stronger from the defeat. In the aftermath of UFC 249, Tony Ferguson told Joe Rogan, “I prepared for Khabib, not too much of a striker. S*** happens, man. What can you do? I would've preferred getting finished than someone stepping in. I've got to go back and win the consolation rounds. Props to Justin and his team. Thank you for taking the fight, Justin."
UFC 249: Tony Ferguson injury update
Tony Ferguson recently took to Instagram and posted a video where he stated he was fine and also notified fans about his discharge from the hospital. 'El Cucuy' appeared to be happy about his discharge as he was spotted dancing in the hospital. Here’s a look at Tony Ferguson's Instagram post.
Image courtesy: AP
Updated 13:55 IST, May 11th 2020