- UFC Mexico City main event fighter Jeremy Stephens spent a month training with ‘El Cucuy’ at high altitude in Big Bear, California
- ‘We trained probably 6 and a half hours straight, and then we’d take a little break. We’d watch Rocky IV and then we went on midnight runs’
It seems Tony Ferguson is the type of guy to train for six and a half hours straight, watch Rocky IV then go on a midnight run, according to Jeremy Stephens.
"Lil Heathen" spent around a month training with the top lightweight contender in Big Bear Lake, California, after connecting through his management.
Stephens was preparing for this weekend's UFC Fight Night 159 main event against Yair Rodriguez in Mexico City, and was looking to get in some training at high altitude.
"Training with a guy like Tony Ferguson, who's one of the top (fighters) in the world, who is more than deserving of a title shot, has so much knowledge and experience of beating guys a****, it was incredible," Stephens told Ariel Helwani's MMA Show on ESPN.
"We trained probably 6 and a half hours straight, and then we'd take a little break. We'd watch Rocky IV and then we went on midnight runs, (or) 1am."
Former interim champion Ferguson (26-3) looks set to get the next crack at undefeated Khabib Nurmagomedov's lightweight title.
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Both men are riding 12-fight win streaks in the UFC and Stephens plans to join up with Ferguson against after UFC Mexico City to help him prepare.
"It was an incredible experience," Stephens said. "I actually can't wait to go back and help him train for his upcoming fight, go on them runs, and do that 6 and a half, 7 hours, Floyd Mayweather-type training.
"It's champ s***. The guy's incredible, (but) he's smart. It's not just barbaric work. The guy trains with extreme intelligence."
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