Paddy Pimblett doesn’t see a Tony Ferguson win at UFC 296 doing as much for him as one might think.
It will have been over one full year since Pimblett last fought come UFC 296 on December 16 inside the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The quick-rising UFC lightweight superstar out of Liverpool, England made his most recent octagon appearance at UFC 282 in his first PPV co-main event slot opposite Jared Gordon. Ultimately, Pimblett walked away with a unanimous decision win to extend his six-fight winning streak (four in UFC, 20-3 record) but it came at the cost of a foot injury that required surgery.
Now set to return, the 28-year-old Pimblett awaits his most notable name opponent yet in the one-time interim lightweight champion Tony Ferguson. In converse to “The Baddy,” Ferguson has lost six straight and is 11 years of age over Pimblett. With the battle of the streaks firmly in mind, Pimblett feels this fight will be nothing more than another win on his resume.
“This fight is a lose-lose for me, Tony Ferguson,” Pimblett said on his YouTube channel. “I don’t care what anyone says. It’s a lose-lose. He’s on a six-fight losing streak. If I win — when I win, I’m just going to be like, ‘Aw, it’s Tony Ferguson. He’s finished. He’s this. He’s that.’ If I lose, I don’t think it’s going to happen, but if I lose, everyone’s going to be like, ‘You just lost to a finished Tony Ferguson.’ So it’s a lose-lose for me, but as I told you all in the past, I will never turn down a fight. Any fight that’s ever been offered to me by the UFC I’ve signed on the dotted line, and that’s what’s happened here.”
Ferguson has fought once during Pimblett’s absence and despite his best efforts against Bobby Green, he succumbed to a third-round arm-triangle choke and more and more voices throughout the community implore “El Cucuy” to hang up the gloves.
Before Ferguson fought Green and Pimblett fought Gordon, the two were being mentioned as a possible match-up. At the time, Pimblett was adamant about awaiting a new contract before facing any Top 15 ranked opponents of big names like Ferguson. Now that things have materialized, he’s still appreciative of the opportunity even though he doesn’t envision a big career payoff.
“The name Tony Ferguson got thrown at me. I signed on the dotted line,” Pimblett said. “Now I’m fighting a legend, a future Hall of Famer, so that’s the way I’m looking at it. I’m fighting a legend of the sport who I grew up watching. It’s going to be an absolute pleasure to share the cage with such a legend.”
Struggle. UFC champ Tom Aspinall almost pulled out of title-winning fight at UFC 295
Patience. John Kavanagh: Conor McGregor’s return delayed again, UFC no longer targeting April
Aftermath. Monday Mailbag: Alex Pereira makes history at UFC 295 and Tom Aspinall makes his case to Jon Jones
Placements. Rankings Shakeup: Is Tom Aspinall MMA’s No. 1 heavyweight? Plus Alex Pereira rattles the rankings… again
Goals. Leon Edwards eyes Sean Strickland vs. Dricus du Plessis winner after UFC 296
Cancelation. Cesar Almeida out of UFC Vegas 82 fight with Christian Leroy Duncan
Odds. Jon Jones opens as slight favorite in potential Tom Aspinall matchup
Titlist. Alex Pereira on becoming two-division UFC champ: ‘It means a lot to me to conquer this’
The MMA Hour.
UFC 296 Trailer.
Free fight.
Fukuda vs. Matsuda Deep Jewels strawweight title preview.
Powerhouse Playback: Anderson vs. Alba.
Pereira BTS.
Praise with a shot.
Perfect.
Only Tommy.
Origins.
Laundry.
Shootout.
Respect.
Prediction.
Cat-jitsu.
When in Vegas.
Nailed it.
Magomed Ankalaev (18-1-1, 1 NC) vs. Johnny Walker (21-7, 1 NC); UFC Vegas 83, Jan. 13
Viviane Araújo (12-5) vs. Natália Silva (16-5-1); UFC Fight Night, Feb. 3
I don’t fully agree with Pimblett’s assessment but I think he’s probably more right than wrong. They each provide each other with some interesting challenges at this stage in their careers.
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This story originally appeared on MMA fighting
