‘Local legend’: Spokane’s Michael Chiesa looks to retire Tony Ferguson at UFC Fight Night on Saturday in Abu Dhabi

In a battle of Ultimate Fighting Championship veterans, Michael Chiesa (18-7) welcomes Tony Ferguson (26-10) to the welterweight division on Saturday in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

Chiesa vs. Ferguson was originally scheduled eight years ago as a lightweight bout on UFC Fight Night 91, but it was dropped when Chiesa pulled out due to a back injury.

Now, ‘El Cucuy’ moves up to the welterweight division to finally fight Chiesa in what could be Ferguson’s retirement fight.

“You move up weight classes to literally a different world,” said Rick Little, Chiesa’s coach and owner of SikJitsu Fighting Systems. “(Chiesa) is the bigger, stronger athlete … we’re going to make sure that size matters in this fight.”

Chiesa is the heavy favorite to defeat Ferguson, 40, according to the UFC betting odds.

As a ground specialist with 11 submission wins, Chiesa will look to get the fight to the mat. Despite Ferguson’s 13 knockout wins, the California native is also comfortable on the ground, as evidenced by his eight submission wins.

At 36 years old, Chiesa has shown some of the best numbers for conditioning and static strength, noted by DL Training Systems and Chiesa’s strength and conditioning coach, Dr. Dylan Lemery.

“It’s been really easy to change strength and conditioning and alter that conditioning to meet the needs of (Chiesa),” Lemery said. “So though his age is 36, his body is not showing it.”

With only five first-round finishes out of his 18 wins, Chiesa is experienced in longer fights – especially when it comes to the ground. That hasn’t necessarily been the case of late.

Two of Chiesa’s past three losses came from submission via the d’arce choke.

“It’s not that (Chiesa) necessarily had a bad d’arce defense,” said Chiesa’s Jiu-jitsu professor, James Weed, pointing out that during Chiesa’s last fight, he was dropped to the canvas before being submitted. “You’re still recovering from catching a knee, it’s more so that (which) gets you caught in the d’arce, not just the d’arce. You’re a step behind.”

With three of his eight submission wins coming via the d’arce choke, Ferguson is expected to look for that submission Saturday.

“You see somebody got finished in two d’arces, and your game is a d’arce, you’re almost going to be majorly hunting for the d’arce,” Weed said.

Weed has been working with Chiesa, a Shadle Park High grad, on not only defense to the choke, but also offense in his own ground game.

“I think some people go wrong because they constantly are thinking too much about what one person does well instead of what you do well,” Weed said.

Although Ferguson is on a seven-fight skid, Chiesa’s coaches say the veteran fighter shouldn’t be underestimated.

“People want to downplay Tony Ferguson and his demise, but he’s still been, up until a year ago, fighting top-10 guys in the world,” Little said.

In his prime, Ferguson only had three losses on his record before his 12-fight win streak. His last win came in 2019 against Donald Cerrone and he has found no success in subsequent fights.

With this being the last fight on his UFC contract, Ferguson has nothing to lose.

“I feel like (Ferguson is) gonna make this his best performance of all time,” Little said. “(Ferguson) is going to come out with every little trick he’s ever had (to) try to (win).”

Whereas just last year, Chiesa was focused on achieving a UFC title, in a now-stacked welterweight division, that goal has changed, according to Little.

“(A title fight is) just not in the cards right now,” Little said. “The goal is, right now, to beat a legend.”

Regardless of the outcome, Chiesa has and continues to elevate Spokane MMA.

After winning The Ultimate Fighter on Season 15, maintaining a successful and active lightweight and welterweight career and becoming a UFC broadcast analyst, Chiesa continues to prove his loyalty to the Lilac City.

Whereas former UFC women’s bantamweight champion Julianna Peña and UFC lightweight Terrance McKinney got their start in Spokane and later moved away, Chiesa still lives and trains in Spokane, helping to build the next generation of fighters.

“If it wasn’t for Mike Chiesa, we wouldn’t have the ability to appreciate and watch the up-and-comers, like Brady Hiestand and Ashton Charlton,” Lemery said. “(Chiesa’s) really turned into a local legend and a mentor.”

UFC Fight Night: Sandhagen vs. Nurmagomedov takes place at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi and can be watched on ABC, ESPN or ESPN+ on Saturday, with the main card starting at noon.