With the Ultimate Fighting Championship currently on a hiatus due to the coronavirus pandemic, mixed martial artists are looking for ways to keep themselves in their best fighting shape.
Tony Ferguson, the number one lightweight contender, shared a footage of his unorthodox training earlier this week as he continues to prepare for his upcoming title fight with Khabib Nurmagomedov.
‘El Cucuy’ is set to challenge the Russian champion for the lightweight belt next month in a clash dubbed as the ‘most anticipated fight in UFC history.’
Despite the uncertainties surrounding the pay-per-view event, with the promotion still in search for a new venue after the New York State Athletic Commission officially cancelled UFC 249 at Barclays Center, both Ferguson and Khabib are wasting no time to be 100% ready for the fight.
While many fans were left confused by the American’s wild exercise, UFC bantamweight Sean O’Malley actually took a page out Ferguson’s training playbook and released his own unconventional workout video.
Check out the video below:
Sensational Return
Earlier this month at UFC 248, ‘The Suga Show’ announced his return to the Octagon from a two-year layoff with an emphatic first-round technical knockout of Jose Quinonez.
O’Malley remained unbeaten in his professional MMA career and despite the long layoff, he fought the Mexican like a well-oiled machine.
“I kept laughing every time everyone asked me if I would have ring rust,” he said after the victory (via MMA Junkie).
“I think it did nothing but benefit my performance and I was able to get really good in those last couple of years I’ve been off. Every time I got asked about that, I kind of laughed.”
“I think just fighting in general is such a sweet thing.”
“The way I fight, it’s not necessarily to entertain. It’s just an entertaining style. I didn’t feel like I had to do anything but just be me in there, and that’s what happened.”
Quick Turnaround
UFC president Dana White was all praises for the returning bantamweight fighter and he is looking to give him a quick turnaround bout, following his UFC 248 win.
O’Malley is now targeting to see action this summer against a higher ranked opponent as he aims to improve his chances for the title shot.
“I want to obviously fight. I’m healthy,” he said.
“I don’t think they have any fights (in Las Vegas) until ‘International Fight Week’ (in July), so I’m going to have to check out which cards, where I’d like to fight. I think I’m in a position where I can say, ‘I’d like to fight there, (or) I’d like to fight there.’”
“So I’m going to go look at the calendar, check it out, (and) if nothing pops up, maybe ‘International Fight Week.’”
(Featured Image Source: Instagram/ Sean O’Malley)