LAS VEGAS – [autotag]Paddy Pimblett[/autotag] is dismissing [autotag]Tony Ferguson[/autotag]’s six-fight losing skid ahead of their UFC 296 clash.
Pimblett (20-3 MMA, 4-0 UFC) will return to the octagon after a one-year layoff and ankle surgery to take on former interim lightweight champ Ferguson (25-9 MMA, 15-7 UFC) at Saturday’s pay-per-view main card at T-Mobile Arena, which follows prelims on ESPN2 and ESPN+.
Ferguson enters the event on the second-longest run of consecutive defeats on UFC history, and at 39, there are many questions about the status of his career. Pimblett is charged with the assignment of extending that skid, and although he has a soft spot for Ferguson, he said he can’t show any of that in the octagon.
“It’s an honor to be fighting Tony Ferguson – one of the best lightweights of all time,” Pimblett told MMA Junkie and other reporters at UFC 296 media day. “When I was kid, like 15 or 16, and I’d just started training, he was in the UFC then. I was watching him fight then. So it’s like the cliché saying when your heroes become your rivals. It’s one of (those situations). Even I want to see Tony go out on a win, but I can’t let him do it at my expense, lad. It’s not happening.”
Despite Ferguson’s rough patch, Pimblett said he won’t allow himself to buy in from the product “El Cucuy” has shown in recent years. He’s studying the fighter who put together a 12-fight winning streak at 155 pounds earlier in his career.
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“He turns 40 in a few months, and I think over the years he’s relied on his athleticism and his speed to get him out of certain situations, and obviously when you get to 39, you lose all of that,” Pimblett said. “But I’ve trained for the Tony that turned up against Donald Cerrone and Anthony Pettis and Edson Barboza and Kevin Lee. I haven’t prepared for the Tony that turned up against Bobby Green and Nate Diaz.
“He’s still got some aspects that work for him until this day. He can go three five-(minute rounds), and he’s still mentally tough. Look at that armbar Charles (Oliveira) had him in and that leg lock (Beneil) Dariush had him in. So if that’s what he feels he needs to do to beat me, go and do it, mate. It’s not going to help you on Saturday night.”
Although Pimblett, 28, said he holds Ferguson in high regard, he admits he hasn’t felt that same level of respect come back his direction. Pimblett claims Ferguson blocked him on Instagram in the weeks leading up to the fight, and Ferguson has since called him “sensitive” for caring about that.
Pimblett said that entire aspect of their fight shows a mental flaw in Ferguson.
“I’m waiting for him to say I’ve got Dana White privilege, to be honest,” Pimblett said. “That’s the one thing I haven’t heard him say yet. I can’t believe he said I was sensitive, though. You blocked me (on Instagram), mate. … A bit of a weird one. Shows I’m in his head.”
Pimblett has previously stated that his matchup with Ferguson is a lose-lose situation because he won’t get the credit for a win, and critics will focus on Fereguson’s downslide inside of his triumph. Still, though, it’s important for Pimblett to get a solid win after all of the backlash of his controversial split decision over Jared Gordon his previous outing at UFC 282.
“It’s going to be nice to shut a lot of haters up,” Pimblett said.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 296.