UFC 238: Tony Ferguson is an Even “Sharper, Stronger” “El Cucuy” Now According to Eddie Bravo

Tony Ferguson has been through a lot the last few years. But according to his coach, jiu-jitsu titan Eddie Bravo, “El Cucuy” is returning to the cage better than ever.

Ferguson is going to throw hands with Donald Cerrone on Saturday, in a highly anticipated fight for UFC 238. The bout will be just Ferguson’s second since 2017, as the former interim lightweight champ has been sidelined for months at a time. Last April, Ferguson went down with a freak knee injury that punted a planned bout with Khabib Nurmagomedov. Ferguson returned to the cage last October and beat Anthony Pettis, but the fighter’s next outing was postponed due to personal issues he was having.

So, will the MMA world see Ferguson at his best on Saturday night? Bravo recently appeared on Joe Rogan’s podcast, and while discussing the renowned fighter, he said this (quotes via MMA Junkie):

“He’s sharper, stronger, in the best shape of his life,” Bravo said. “It’s the same Tony. You think, like, is it going to be the same Tony after he had some family stuff go on? Is that going to change him? His opponents hope it changes him, but he’s the same Tony when it comes to fighting.

“We don’t get into personal stuff, we just stick to fighting and the strategy. He’s sharper than ever. You can’t guarantee any wins, but I will guarantee he’s going to go in 100 percent Tony.”

“What makes Tony so good in my opinion just based on working with him, it seems at the highest level, high-pressure fight, people are more cautious,” Bravo said. “They don’t want to do anything stupid, they’re not just (expletive) letting it swing and letting it go. Tony isn’t like that…”

It’s going to be fascinating to see how Ferguson performs, especially since he’s taking on one of the most experienced and dangerous lightweights in the game. Can Cerrone become the first man in 11 fights, and 7 years, to beat Ferguson? We shall see.

If you’re wondering, Ferguson is a slight favorite on the betting lines for the Cerrone bout, with odds in the -137 to -160 range.

Here is the line-up for UFC 238 (via MMA Mania).

UFC 238 PPV Main Event:
135 lbs.: UFC Flyweight Champion Henry Cejudo vs. Marlon Moraes

UFC 238 PPV Co-Main Event:
125 lbs.: UFC Flyweight Champion Valentina Shevchenko vs. Jessica Eye

UFC 238 PPV Main Card on ESPN+ (10 p.m. ET):
155 lbs.: Donald Cerrone vs. Tony Ferguson
135 lbs.: Jimmie Rivera vs. Petr Yan
265 lbs.: Blagoy Ivanov vs. Tai Tuivasa

UFC 238 Prelims on ESPN (8 p.m. ET):
115 lbs.: Nina Ansaroff vs. Tatiana Suarez
135 lbs.: Pedro Munhoz vs. Aljamain Sterling
125 lbs.: Alexa Grasso vs. Karolina Kowalkiewicz
145 lbs.: Calvin Kattar vs. Ricardo Lamas

UFC 238 Prelims on UFC Fight Pass (6:15 p.m. ET):
115 lbs.: Angela Hill vs. Yan Xiaonan
185 lbs.: Bevon Lewis vs. Darren Stewart
135 lbs.: Katlyn Chookagian vs. Joanne Calderwood
135 lbs.: Eddie Wineland vs. Grigory Pipov