Tony Ferguson versus Donald Cerrone may not have been the main event of UFC 238, but it was definitely the people's fight. And it certainly lived up to expectations. The three-round bout unfortunately didn't get the ending it deserved, however, as it was stopped due to swelling in Cerrone's eye.
The lightweight matchup, which would likely determine who would face the champion between Khabib Nurmagomedov and Dustin Poirier, was action-packed from the start. Ferguson was aggressive early, but solid counter punches by Cerrone might have won him the round.
The middle round, however, was a much different story. Once agian, Ferguson came out as the aggressor and after some solid body blows, Cerrone was left retreating. A combination by Ferguson left Ceronne bleeding out of his nose and by the end of the round Cowboy was looking pretty battered. A bit of a scare came at the end of round two, though, when Ferguson landed a direct shot to Cerrone's face well after the bell. Ferguson was not deducted a point, however.
With blood clogging his nose, Cerrone made a huge error in between rounds that ultimately cost him (and fans) the finish that was deserved. Cerrone, in an lapse of judgment, blew his nose and immediately his right eye swelled shut. Unable to open it, there was no other choice but for a doctor's stoppage.
An official review checked to see if the swelling was cased by the late strike by Ferguson, but it wasn't, so Ferguson got the TKO victory.
While fans and Cerrone were initially upset by the decision, it was ultimately the right call. A disappointed Cowboy took the loss in stride and apologized to fans for not delivering the final round.
With the win, Tony Ferguson now sets himself up as the next challenger for the lightweight title. He will likely face the winner of Khabib Nurmagomedov vs Dustin Poirier from UFC 242 in September.
The loss puts Cerrone in an interesting spot. A winner of three straight prior to UFC 238, Cerrone's loss means he's no longer in line for a title shot. He could, however, still be in line for a big pay day should he fight Conor McGregor in what would be another highly anticipated matchup for fans.