Paddy Pimblett is down badly. Once a much-hyped fan favorite, Paddy ‘The Baddy’ has seen his stock plummet over the past year. Things started to get bad for him after his decision win over Jared Gordon at UFC 282 last year. Many fans felt the decision should have gone the other way and were dismayed at the Englishman’s arrogant and boisterous reaction to the decision.

Pimblett was accused of being an over-hyped prospect who had the blessing of the UFC. And as that controversy started to subside, he got into a tiff with controversial MMA journalist and compulsive attention-seeker Ariel Helwani. Ferguson took a reputation hit after this controversy, and he became further unpopular among fans. But the lightweight is determined to turn things around with his game plan for his upcoming UFC 296 clash against Tony Ferguson, a bout that many feel is a lose-lose prospect for him.

Paddy Pimblett reveals game plan for ‘El Cucuy’

British sports broadcaster TNT Sports joined Paddy Pimblett at his gym in Liverpool and spoke to his coaches, teammates, and Pimblett himself. As he laced up his gloves, the Englishman revealed that he would be practicing combinations on the pads, which he plans on using as his primary weapon against Tony Ferguson in their December 16 bout at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

“Hitting pads today lads, doing some, working some combos what’ll be getting done [sic] on Tony Ferguson, mainly,” Pimblett told the TNT Sports crew.

Ferguson, one of the most beloved fighters in the UFC, is on a downward spiral. ‘El Cucuy’ is on a six-fight losing streak in the same lightweight division where he put together a 12-fight win streak between 2013 and ’19. Which is why this bout seems like a no-win situation for Pimblett.

A win, no matter how emphatic, will not mean much for Pimblett’s estimation as a fighter. In fact, knocking out fan-favorite Ferguson may further sour fans of the Englishman. A loss would most certainly be catastrophic for Pimblett, while even a reasonably close victory would be detrimental for him. But the unranked lightweight is hoping to salvage his reputation with a war against ‘El Cucuy’.

Pimblett wants war with Ferguson

After his practice session, he was asked what he expected from the Tony Ferguson bout. Pimblett said that he wanted to go toe to toe against ‘El Cucuy’ in a ‘war’. He acknowledged the hit his reputation took last year and was hoping to put together a Fight of the Night and Performance of the Night-level performance.

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“I want to have a war, to be honest, and we’ll see who falls first. I’m game to get in there with him and try and have an absolute bar brawl, and make up for the fight from last year. And get another 50 Grand bonus, even better if I get 100 Grand now: Fight the Night and Performance of the Night,” he told Ferguson.

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