Tony Ferguson calls for fighters to get health insurance during UFC 274 press conference: ‘We all have families’

Tony Ferguson did not have a good deal to say at UFC 274’s pre-fight push meeting, but he did make his text depend.

A day soon after venting his frustrations with the UFC and its president Dana White in an explosive visual appeal at UFC 274 media day, the former interim light-weight winner ongoing that conversation in front of a packed home at Phoenix’s Arizona Federal Theatre. When requested if he was heading to foyer White to the moment again increase the promotion’s customary post-battle bonuses from $50,000 to $75,000 just as he famously did just before UFC 262, Ferguson instead identified as upon the UFC to supply its fighters with overall health insurance.

“I’d say let us get some coverage for these fighters,” Ferguson mentioned.

“Let’s elevate the tier up. You know what I indicate? When they did the Reebok [uniform] offer [in 2014], they experienced tiers, so how several fights you had inside the octagon. I’d say we do the very same thing, guy. We all have family members, we all have to assist our programs, and let’s do that s***, male. I never know, Dana’s not in this article, but [let’s get] coverage.”

The UFC’s previous sponsorship deal with Reebok — and existing offer with Venum — allocated cash out to athletes in tiers depending on their tenure with the advertising. The more fights an athlete experienced with the UFC, the greater their sponsorship payout.

UFC fighters are labeled as impartial contractors and at the moment only get formalized well being insurance for occasions in which a fighter is wounded in a bout or although planning for a scheduled bout — a stage of competition which heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou has taken up as perfectly in the course of his agreement standoff with the UFC.

Ferguson’s renewed calls on Thursday drew a fast nod of settlement from Justin Gaethje, who is slated to obstacle Charles Oliveira for the light-weight title on Saturday while Gaethje also did not mind talking up for the primary problem posed to Ferguson as perfectly.

“I want more substantial bonuses,” Gaethje said. “Bigger bonuses, for positive. And wellness insurance plan. But greater bonuses.”

“I’m a grown ass person,” Ferguson responded. “I have to glance [out] for my loved ones, so insurance coverage is great with me.”

Ferguson is established to confront former Bellator winner Michael Chandler in a featured bout on UFC 274’s spend-for every-check out card.

At 38 yrs old and reeling from a a few-struggle losing skid, Ferguson understands the odds are stacked from him at UFC 274. But the longtime contender, who was at the time deemed to be a person of the greatest lightweights in the earth, is not spending any brain to the tension of the instant.

“I’m having pleasurable now. This is basically definitely exciting. I’m enthusiastic,” Ferguson stated.

“I’m excited to just to go in there and do just how I visualized this on the travel out here — that’s finding my hand lifted in victory.”

Ferguson’s opponent, Chandler, finds himself in a equally pressurized predicament immediately after dropping back again-to-again bouts from Gaethje and Oliveira in his very last two UFC fights.

A earn on Saturday would catapult Chandler back into the title image, when a decline could torpedo his title hopes for the foreseeable long run. And he is aware nothing at all will arrive uncomplicated towards the gentleman they simply call “El Cucuy.”

“That’s what I’ve mentioned given that the quite starting, that’s why this fight wakes me up early, and that is why this battle scares me, and that is why this struggle has motivated me — Tony Ferguson is a certified just one-of-just one expertise,” Chandler stated.

“He’s tricky to put together for. No person in the health and fitness center can clearly show me that glance. And I believe there is a method to his insanity, and his earn streaks have showed it. I’m likely to go out there and contend, and ideally get a complete.”