Alan Jouban believes that the UFC 296 match between Tony Ferguson and Paddy Pimblett could offer Ferguson a chance to revive his career, as despite Pimblett’s rising star status and large fanbase, he is seen as beatable and a win for Ferguson could turn the tide in his favor.
The announcement of Tony Ferguson vs. Paddy Pimblett for UFC 296 had Alan Jouban feeling a bit uneasy. He thought the promotion was setting up an old lion, Ferguson, for a young, ambitious Pimblett to make a name for himself.
At first glance, this seemed logical. Ferguson had lost his last six fights, four by knockout or submission. Meanwhile, Pimblett boasted a flawless 4-0 record in the UFC and was rapidly rising to stardom. But as Jouban delved deeper into the fight, he began to see the UFC’s matchmaking strategy.
According to Jouban, this is the best fight Ferguson could have hoped for. He explained his reasoning on The Fighter vs. The Writer. Pimblett, despite his large fanbase and reputation, is beatable. Jouban even thought Pimblett lost his earlier fight to Jared Gordon.
Initially, Jouban saw this as a legend being thrown to the dogs. Tony Ferguson is a legend in his own right. But then he thought, why not give him a chance against a beatable opponent like Pimblett? Pimblett may be young and growing with good submission skills, but Ferguson could still win. This fight has the maximum upside for Ferguson.
Pimblett’s star power draws a lot of attention, but he hasn’t faced top 15 ranked competition yet. He barely won against Jared Gordon in December 2022 and has been out of action due to injury. Now, he’s up against Ferguson, whose career is nearing its end.
Pimblett has a large fanbase, but he also has detractors. Jouban believes this is where Ferguson can shine. If Ferguson beats Pimblett, he becomes the hero for all those against Pimblett. Pimblett’s star status means he has as many haters as fans, and many people don’t like him. This gives Ferguson a chance to become a hero.
On the other hand, Jouban argues that if Ferguson loses, it doesn’t change much. A seventh consecutive loss could end his UFC career, but that’s what people have been saying after his sixth loss. Losing to Pimblett only reinforces what’s already been said about Ferguson. But a win could turn things around for him.
Jouban feels that if Ferguson loses, it’s not a big deal. He’s already lost six times and been finished four times. We know he’s past his prime. If he loses, it’s just another loss. But a win? That would put Ferguson on top.
While a loss could end Ferguson’s career, Jouban believes a win might allow him to retire on his own terms. He can’t think of a better ending for Ferguson’s career than beating a young superstar like Pimblett and then retiring.
Jouban wants this for Ferguson. He wants him to have that winning feeling again. He probably feels like he wants to retire, but not on these terms. But with a win over Pimblett, if he feels it’s time, he could walk away from the sport.
“If you get the win Saturday night, you lay those gloves in the center of the octagon and people are going to love you. They’re going to love him,” Jouban said. You can listen to new episodes of The Fighter vs. The Writer every Tuesday on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and iHeartRadio.