Tony Ferguson, Fabricio Werdum exchange gay slurs at UFC 216 luncheon

Tony Ferguson and Fabricio Werdum are both fighting at UFC 216 next week, but not against each other. However, you couldn’t tell at a UFC media lunch in Los Angeles when the two engaged in a heated war of words.

Ferguson, who will face Kevin Lee for the interim UFC lightweight title, was interrupted by Werdum, who will face Derrick Lewis, while answering a question from a reporter.

“Hold on, I’m talking, brother,” Ferguson said to Werdum, who seemingly was answering a separate question by a different reporter. Werdum took exception to Ferguson’s words and fired back in Portuguese with a number of expletives. Werdum used the word “maricon,” a common gay slur in Spanish, several times and eventually stood up to challenge Ferguson. Before things got too out of hand, UFC PR stepped in to separate the two fighters.

“Have fun fighting on my undercard,” Ferguson said to Werdum, who was escorted away from the table.

“Obviously, I’m getting to some people,” Ferguson continued. “Which is good. I told you all, they’re not going to like me when I get to this spot. And I said it.”

With Werdum out of view, Ferguson gestured to the Brazilian heavyweight with one last volley in Spanish.

“Este maricon.”

Afterward, Werdum took to social media to apologize for the rampant use of the gay slur.

It is not known if either will face disciplinary action for the slurs.