For the first time since 2019, Tony Ferguson got his hand raised in a fight, as he scored a third-round TKO of Nathaniel "Salt Papi" Bustamante in the co-main event of misfits-boxing-22" class='tag-link'>Misfits Boxing 22, claiming the promotion's interim middleweight title.

Ferguson tried to get going with pressure during the opening round, but Salt Papi connected with the cleaner shots. This continued with the second round. There, Ferguson landed more strikes, though Salt Papi notably crack Ferguson with an uppercut and landed a number of left hands.

Tony Ferguson Scores Third-Round TKO Of Salt Papi At Misfits Boxing 22

Ferguson, who was making his boxing debut, was once considered one of the best lightweights in MMA during his tenure with the UFC, which lasted from 2011 to 2024. Ferguson, who won season 13 of The Ultimate Fighter, went 15-1 in the UFC during the 2010s, which included 12 straight wins and a run as interim UFC lightweight champion. Ferguson's MMA career, however, ended with eight straight losses, breaking the record for most consecutive losses in UFC history.

Salt Papi came into this bout with a 6-2 exhibition boxing record, most of which have come in Misfits Boxing. Prior to tonight, his most recent fight came in November, scoring a third-round knockout of Kenny Ojuederie.