MMA star Paddy Pimblett is preparing to face Tony Ferguson at UFC 296, aiming to hand Ferguson his seventh straight loss, despite expressing respect and admiration for his opponent.
Paddy Pimblett has a vision. He sees Tony Ferguson, his hand raised high, riding off into the sunset. But not just yet.
Right now, Pimblett, known as “The Baddy,” has a different goal in mind. He’s planning to hand Ferguson his seventh consecutive loss. This showdown is set to take place at UFC 296, this Saturday at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
Pimblett is a hot topic in the MMA world. On the other hand, Ferguson, who’s 39, hasn’t tasted victory since 2019. He’s a former interim lightweight champion, and retirement rumors have been swirling. Pimblett, however, hopes Ferguson’s retirement will follow a win.
“Fighting Tony Ferguson is an honor,” Pimblett shared at the UFC 296 media day on Wednesday. “He’s one of the best lightweights of all time. I watched him fight when I was just a kid, starting my training at 15, 16. It’s like that cliché saying when your heroes become your rivals. I’d love to see Tony go out on a win, but I can’t let him do it at my expense. It’s not happening.”
Ferguson, in his prime, was a force to be reckoned with. Between 2013 and 2019, he claimed 12 consecutive victories and an interim UFC belt. But then Justin Gaethje stopped him at UFC 249. “El Cucuy” hasn’t won since.
Pimblett knows that Ferguson isn’t the fighter he once was. Years of intense battles have taken their toll. But Pimblett is preparing for the best version of Ferguson.
“He’s almost 40,” Pimblett pointed out. “Over the years, he’s relied on his athleticism and speed. But at 39, you lose that. I’ve trained for the Tony that fought Donald Cerrone, Anthony Pettis, Edson Barboza, and Kevin Lee. I haven’t prepared for the Tony that fought Bobby Green and Nate Diaz.”
Ferguson’s current state is a mystery. He’s trying to break his losing streak and has been training with fitness guru David Goggins. Pimblett isn’t sure how much this will help Ferguson. But he’s confident he has the upper hand when it comes to mental warfare.
“One of my mates said, ‘Tony’s on his way to Vegas,'” Pimblett recalled. “I checked his Instagram story, and he’d blocked me. Bit weird, shows I’m in his head.”
Pimblett’s career is on the rise, unlike Ferguson’s. After losing to Soren Bok in September 2018, Pimblett has won six straight fights. He’s 4-0 in his UFC career. His controversial win over Jared Gordon at UFC 282 has only fueled his desire to silence critics.
When Pimblett finally faces Ferguson, he’ll be laser-focused.
“It’ll be a bit surreal,” Pimblett admitted, talking about fighting someone he idolizes. “But as I always say, it doesn’t matter. The only people that matter in that moment are me, him, and the referee. No one else on this earth matters. I’ll show that on the night.”