Dana White gives into Tony Ferguson’s press conference demand and increases UFC 262 bonuses to £53,000 day before show

DANA WHITE has granted Tony Ferguson’s request for the UFC 262 bonuses to be increased – bumping them up to £53,000. Former interim lightweight champion Ferguson made the demand to the UFC supremo during Thursday’s pre-fight press conference. He told the promotion’s president: “(Last time when I fought in Houston), we were here for the […]

DANA WHITE has granted Tony Ferguson’s request for the UFC 262 bonuses to be increased – bumping them up to £53,000.

Former interim lightweight champion Ferguson made the demand to the UFC supremo during Thursday’s pre-fight press conference.

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Tony Ferguson asked UFC president Dana White to increase this weekend’s bonuses[/caption]

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And the UFC supremo has obliged, increasing the bonuses to £56,000[/caption]

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He told the promotion’s president: “(Last time when I fought in Houston), we were here for the performance-bonus meeting,.

“(Travis Browne) said, ‘You know, everything is bigger in Texas, Dana, right?’

“Right, you remember that? “He said, ‘How about a bigger bonus?’

“So, I’m going to ask you, Dana. Since we are here, like last time, can we have a bigger bonus this time?”

And the fan favourite’s plea has worked – with White increasing the Performance of the Night and Fight of the Night bonuses from £35,500 ($$50,000) to £53,000 ($75,000).

The increase, which will no doubt encourage fighters to go for broke, won’t be a permanent one, though.

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SunSport understands the added incentive is currently a one-time deal, although that could end up changing in time.

UFC 262 take places early on Sunday morning at the Toyota Center in Houston Texas.

Fan favourite Ferguson will bid to get back into the win column in the promotion’s sixth pay-per-view card of the year, where he’ll take on the in-form Beneil Dariush.

Back-to-back defeats to Justin Gaethje and Charles Oliveira have cast doubt over his status as an elite lightweight.

But El Cucuy insists he’s feeling no pressure ahead of the fight, telling Submission Radio: “I’m hungry as f**k and I’m back.

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Tony Ferguson will bid to get back in the win column against the in-form Beneil Dariush[/caption]

“I’m really back on it. And I’m mixing it up really, really well, better than a f******g blender.”

Ultimate Fighter season 13 winner Ferguson has vowed to put a beating on Dariush, telling him at Thursday’s presser: “You think you f*g know me?

“You want to spinning s**t, you think I’m unorthodox? Kid, I am going to hit you so f*****g hard, that’s it.”

Moments later, a fired-up Ferguson added: “I’m going to slam you.

“I’m going to slam you like I did my student, I broke his f*****g rib.”