After declining the opportunity to fight for the interim lightweight title next month at UFC 236, Tony Ferguson has put himself in lightweight limbo.

That’s according to UFC president Dana White, who doesn’t quite know what to do with “El Cucuy” after the streaking lightweight contender snubbed the promotion on its offer to fight either Dustin Poirier or Max Holloway for the interim strap.

“I say all the time: When there’s an opportunity, take it,” White said during yesterday’s (Fri., Mar. 1, 2019) UFC 236 press conference in Las Vegas (replay here). “I don’t know where this leaves Tony.

“Tony didn’t want the fight. It’s the fight I wanted (with Poirier). We even tried to make the fight (with Holloway), and he didn’t want it. You can’t make anybody fight.”

Amidst Ferguson’s UFC 236 snub, the promotion has since booked Poirier vs. Holloway 2 to determine the interim champ while current lightweight titleholder Khabib Nurmagomedov is sidelined until November.

Ferguson, who captured the interim lightweight title back in 2017 with a submission win over Kevin Lee only to have the belt later stripped, is currently riding an 11-fight win streak at 155 pounds dating back to 2013. If any fighter in the lightweight division deserves a shot at the title it’s “El Cucuy.”

Unfortunately, Ferguson didn’t feel like it was the right move to make at this point in time. Instead of fighting Poirier, maybe Ferguson wanted to turn his attention to another type of “Diamond.”

I don’t think any of you realize how good I am at baseball - I love the game, I feel I have the potential to be great — Tony Ferguson (@TonyFergusonXT) March 1, 2019

In any case, the lightweight veteran has left himself on the outside looking in after declining the opportunity to fight for the title. It’s an uncanny move by a gamer like Ferguson, but one White compares to welterweight contender Colby Covington and his ongoing title shot woes.

“He’s another perfect example,” White said. “He was offered the fight, he didn’t take the fight, and he can come up with a million excuses on why he didn’t. He didn’t take the fight. You were the interim champ, you were next in line for Tyron Woodley, we offered you the fight in Dallas, or somewhere in Texas. He didn’t take the fight, and that’s that.”

For now, Ferguson will remain on the sidelines and wait for his phone to ring with another opportunity. But considering there are limited options for Ferguson at lightweight outside of a title shot with Khabib, “El Cucuy” may be waiting for a long time.