Tony Ferguson gives honest assessment on “mouth” Paddy Pimblett.
A lightweight matchup was announced last month, including a fan favourite in Ferguson and the polarising character Pimblett. The fight will take place on the final pay-per-view card of the year in Las Vegas at UFC 296.
Former interim champion Ferguson finds himself on a six-fight loss streak heading into December and is winless in 4 years since his sensational 12-fight win streak stretching from 2013 to 2019. His opponent, Pimblett, is 4-0 in the UFC and has been entertaining fans since debuting in the organisation back in September 2021. On a stacked card, this bout is the one that has got the fans talking.
Tony Ferguson on The MMA Hour
‘El Cucuy’ joined popular journalist Ariel Helwani on the MMA hour show to talk about the match up and how Ferguson felt going into it. This is what he had to say
“I’m not going to say he’s a fat f*** […] He’s a good fighter. He’s long, rangy, lanky. He likes to put on a show, he’s kind of mouthy.”
“Obviously he’s English […] tall kind of guy, good submission specialist, very beatable. On a 6 fight win streak, the last fight that he had against Jared Gordon, everybody says that he ended up losing”
The last fight for Pimblett was a very controversial decision win over Jared Gordon that many feel he lost. Ferguson once more referenced the recent form of both men. “Six-fight win streak versus six-loss losing streak, which is f***ed up, but I hold a couple of records in the UFC now, and I would like to start that back up, that’s for sure.”
Reflecting on the losses of Ferguson four of those six were against elite operators currently sat in the top five at lightweight, it was the last loss in July to Bobby Green which concerned fans the most.
However, even with recent form the fight is highly competitive and great matchmaking which is something Ferguson agrees with. “I believe in good matchmaking; this is a good fight for both of us.”
UFC 296 Card So Far
Leon Edwards makes his long-awaited return versus Colby Covington in the main event at the T-Mobile Arena. New flyweight king Alexandre Pantoja makes his first defence against former foe Brandon Royal. Alongside the title fight, welterweight has a pair of scintillating bouts on the card, with unbeaten phenom Shavkat Rakhmonov taking on Stephen Thompson and rising Irish superstar Ian Machado Garry taking on his former training partner Vicente Luque. This fight between Ferguson and Pimblett will most likely kick off the main card. However, rumours swirl of a potential elite lightweight matchup between Beneil Dariush and Armen Tsarukyan.
What do you make of the comments from Tony Ferguson directed at Paddy Pimblett?
Featured image credits to Embed from Getty Images
