Tony Ferguson is — as you might expect — backing himself to end his losing skid this weekend.

The veteran fighter and former interim UFC lightweight champion takes on Michael Chiesa on Saturday night in Abu Dhabi in a welterweight contest and despite his less-than-stellar recent run in the cage, Ferguson is adamant that he isn’t considering stepping away from the sport in spite of some figures within mixed martial arts — including Dana White — suggesting that the 40-year-old should hang up his 40z gloves.

“I feel comfortable [at welterweight],” Ferguson told the media, including The Mac Life, in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday. “I don’t feel like this is going to be my last fight. I have to do some extraordinary s*h*t, that’s what I’m planning to do.

“You guys all read the tabloids about how they want to keep renewing contracts and I’ve been very fortunate to always get a better deal when it comes to myself,” he added. “I love this company, and I have plenty of fights left but this is not a fight last or first, or however everyone wants to see it.

“I feel so f*cking fresh, like it’s a completely different look. I love the UFC and this is where I’m going to stay, so I have to earn that right.

“I do have seven losses. Who gets an eighth chance except for me? I don’t ever ask for a lot of sh*t, so I’m asking myself to go out there and do the best performance I possibly can so that I can retain my spot.”