Heading into Saturday’s UFC 256 co-main event, no fighter had ever racked up more than 10 minutes of control time over Tony Ferguson. The highest control time Ferguson’s previous opponents secured was the 9:29 Danny Castillo earned when he faced Ferguson in 2014. Ferguson won that fight by a split decision. At UFC 256, Charles Oliveira left his bout opposite Ferguson with 11:39 of control time in the 15-minute contest. Watching the fight, it felt like more. Oliveira won the contest by three scores of 30-26.
Entering the bout, Ferguson was the betting favorite, but there were questions about his age and how much his previous opponent, Justin Gaethje had taken from the soon to be 37-year-old Ferguson.