Tony Ferguson has yet to win over Daniel Cormier’s confidence that he can make a return

On Saturday at UFC 279’s co-main event, welterweight fighters Tony Ferguson and Li Jingliang will battle at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas with the hopes of ending Ferguson’s four-fight losing streak.

Tony Ferguson lost to Michael Chandler at UFC 274 via vicious front kick knockout, but he was looking good until he got caught. After his loss to Chandler, “El Cucuy” began working out with Jackson Wink MMA, but Cormier is unsure if the switch back to welterweight will benefit him.

“I want to see something positive. I want to see something change – some changes that he has made since he has been to Jackson’s gym, Jackson Wink down in Albuquerque” Cormier said.

“So I want to see something different. Here’s the issue for me: When you get knocked out at 155 by Michael Chandler, when you get TKO’d at 155 by Justin Gaethje, when you get dominated by Beneil and Charles Oliveira at 155, it would not seem like going up to welterweight would be the move.

“But if there is a guy that could let go of the past and everything that happened prior to go and try to make a statement, it is Tony Ferguson. But Li Jingliang, this guy is tough. He hits hard, and this is a very difficult matchup in his first time fighting at welterweight in a long time. So while I’m looking for something positive, I don’t expect all that much as of right now. He’s going to have to show me something.”