Tony Ferguson has compared fighting without a crowd at UFC 249 to his experience on The Ultimate Fighter in an empty gym.
Ferguson and Justin Gaethje will meet for the interim-UFC lightweight title in the main-event of UFC 249 in Florida this Saturday.
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The event is set to go ahead behind closed doors with limited crew and social distancing measures in place for the promotion's return amid the coronavirus crisis.
It'll be a new experience for most of the fighters competing on the card other than Ferguson, whose already fought a major bout for the UFC behind closed doors.
'El Cucuy' made his way into the UFC via The Ultimate Fighter - a reality television series which pits a group of fighters vying for a UFC contract.
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And in the process of the winning the tournament, the Californian fought in front of no fans.
He beat Justin Edwards, Ryan McGillivray and Chuck O'Neil in an empty gym as he won The Ultimate Fighter 13 back in 2011.
Ferguson can draw on his experience on The Ultimate Fighter to overcome the no fans aspect this weekend.
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UFC 249 will feel and sound like the fights on The Ultimate Fighter. From the eerie silence to hearing every word from the corner.
Speaking in the build-up to his UFC 249 clash, Ferguson recalled his time in The Ultimate Fighter.
"I went on The Ultimate Fighter and I won that b*tch at 170 pounds and it was a tournament," he said.
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"So, it doesn't matter who you put in front of me.
"I'm going to go out there and give my best. Win or lose, I'm going to walk away a f**king winner."
Carla Esparza, who faces Michelle Waterson in the prelims of UFC 249, has also experienced fights for the UFC behind closed doors following her stint on The Ultimate Fighter 20 in 2014.
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