Paddy Pimblett has the biggest fight of his career ahead of him.
Liverpool, England’s “Baddy” hasn’t fought in 2023, last defeating Jared Gordon via a controversial unanimous decision in the UFC 282 co-main event in December 2022. Pimblett, 28, entered the bout with a foot injury that worsened during the fight, leading him to surgery that’s kept him on the sidelines.
It was announced last week (Fri., Sept. 22, 2023) that Pimblett has his return bout booked. The superstar prospect will take on former UFC interim Lightweight champion, Tony Ferguson, at UFC 296 on Dec. 16, 2023. Currently the betting favorite by a sizable margin, three-time UFC title challenger, Chael Sonnen, isn’t at all in agreement with the odds.
“Paddy ‘The Baddy’ is going to get whipped by Tony Ferguson,” Sonnen said on his YouTube channel (h/t MMA Fighting). “Tony Ferguson is a tough fight for anybody, and Tony Ferguson has only fought real killers. These guys who got the nudge on Tony are the best of the best. Tony Ferguson, until just recently, has fought in the top 10 for his entire career.
“The point on that is Bobby Green was his sixth loss in a row, and he was still ranked in the top 10,” he concluded. “He lost five fights in a row and was still in the top 10. I’m just speaking to the caliber of opponent that he’s taking on.”
Ferguson and Pimblett are on completely opposite trajectories in their careers at this stage. It’s been a rough stretch for “El Cucuy” since his last victory over Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone in June 2019. The Ultimate Fighter 13 (TUF) winner has lost six straight fights, suffering finishes in four of them with the last three ending by knockout and two back-to-back submissions.
One more loss would tie Ferguson for the longest losing streak in UFC history alongside B.J. Penn with seven. Despite his skid, Ferguson has been primarily facing either top-15 competition or seasoned veterans, which can’t be said for Pimblett, highlights Sonnen.
“Tony Ferguson just slid out of the top 10, Paddy has never even threatened to be in the top 10,” Sonnen said. “I look at Paddy with some real positivity, but I also look at a guy who can’t get his weight under control. I look at a guy that any time he goes on social media or does some kind of podcast, the only comments have to do with how big he is — which is a direct contradiction to discipline and efforts being put in the gym. They don’t go together. If you’re doing the workouts, you’re burning the calories, if you’re not doing the workouts, you’re not burning the calories.
“One guy just exited the top 10, the other guy hasn’t threatened it,” he continued. “One guy is on a losing skid, that’s true. Another guy openly said, ‘I’m not even tough enough to go out there.’ We’re coming up on a year since the Gordon fight. Whatever the injury was, it doesn’t make a bit of difference. If a guy says [he] can’t even go out there, can’t even walk out and try, I don’t know how you’re giving him a nudge over a guy that just left the top 10.”