Former UFC Interim Champion Arrested for Drunk Driving in Hollywood – Is this the final nail in the coffin for Tony?

Tony Ferguson, a former UFC interim lightweight champion, was arrested for suspicion of drunk driving in Hollywood, California, after crashing his truck into two parked cars outside a club. The incident happened just before 2 AM PST, and Ferguson reportedly refused to take a field sobriety test and was described as “very uncooperative” by officers on site. Video footage shared by TMZ showed Ferguson’s white Chevy truck flipped on its side with the airbags deployed. One of the two cars hit by the truck was completely crumpled in along the side, and the rear driver’s side wheel was completely ripped off. Ferguson is facing a misdemeanor DUI charge and the potential revocation of his license for not submitting to a sobriety test.

This is not the first time that Ferguson has made headlines for the wrong reasons. In 2019, his wife filed a restraining order against him, alleging that he claimed he was being tracked through a chip inserted into his body during a surgery, among other things. She dropped the restraining order the following month. Ferguson has also lost five straight fights, including a submission loss to Nate Diaz in September 2022. The latest incident is a continuation of a not-great couple of years for Ferguson, who is 39 years old and may never regain his spot amongst the top fighters in the UFC.

Ferguson’s arrest comes as a shock to his fans, who know him as a talented mixed martial artist. He debuted in 2008 and has been with the UFC since he won The Ultimate Fighter 13 in 2011. He is a former Interim UFC Lightweight Champion and has won nine post-fight bonuses in nine fights, including a double bonus for a win over Edson Barboza. Ferguson’s unique fighting style and impressive win streak had earned him a large following in the ultra-competitive 155-pound division.

While Ferguson’s recent run of losses is unfortunate, it is his personal struggles that are concerning. His refusal to take a sobriety test and uncooperative behavior towards the police suggest that he may have a problem with alcohol, and it is important that he seeks help for it. We can only hope that this latest incident serves as a wake-up call for Ferguson, and that he takes steps to address his issues so that he can get back on track both personally and professionally.