UFC Fight Night 91: Tony Ferguson Taps Landon Vannata in Wild, Surprising Brawl

Tony Ferguson (21-3) entered as the No. 3-ranked contender per the UFC’s official rankings and was expected to blow through Landon Vannata (8-1), who came in as a late replacement for Michael Chiesa (h/t Tristen Critchfield of Sherdog.com). That did not happen.

Vannata proved he was game.

Ferguson took the center of the cage right away, but Vannata was relaxed inside the cage. Vannata scored the first clean strike with a right hand. The two exchanged a bit more, but the bout was briefly halted due to a low blow on Ferguson. Once they got back to work, Ferguson struggled with the Vannata's movement.

Ferguson’s jab was a key to his offense in the first round. He sat Vannata down with a crisp jab, but Vannata would stun Ferguson with a beautiful spinning backfist shortly afterward. The right hand would continue to be there for the Jackson-Winkeljohn product throughout the round.

Ferguson wouldn’t go away, but Vannata nearly ruined his night with a head kick. It rocked Ferguson and sent him wobbling all over the cage. Vannata tried to pile on the ground-and-pound, but Ferguson did just enough to keep referee John McCarthy from stopping the fight. He got out of the round by threatening with an inside heel hook.

The title contender got back to using his jab in the second round. After throwing a kick that landed, Vannata asked him for one more and Ferguson obliged. Ferguson then landed a clean Superman punch, but Vannata didn’t seem fazed. The bloodied newcomer would soon meet his end. Ferguson grabbed his head and started to work a front choke, but once on the ground switched to a D'Arce choke. It was too deep, and Vannata tapped.

Vannata came from obscurity to nearly knock off one of the top contenders in the division. His performance will earn him a lot of new fans and put him right in the thick of the lightweight pack. He will be a name to watch moving forward.

As for Ferguson, he had everything to lose. Ferguson told Jon Anik in the post-fight interview in the cage that he was ready for his title shot. He is most certainly in position, but there are several options for Eddie Alvarez’s first defense.

This was a stellar fight between two exciting lightweights as Sioux Falls was treated to one of the best scraps in recent memory.

Ferguson settled down in the second to continue his winning ways and state his case for a lightweight title bid. Vannata’s performance could serve as a lesson to Ferguson and everyone else not to underestimate anyone who steps inside the Octagon.