UFC CEO Dana White has justified the match between Paddy Pimblett and Tony Ferguson at UFC 296, saying it is good timing, offers a chance for unproven Pimblett to shine and for Ferguson to potentially revive his career despite his recent skid, or face retirement if he loses.
UFC CEO Dana White has recently explained the reasoning behind the much-anticipated face-off between the hyped newcomer Paddy Pimblett and seasoned pro Tony Ferguson, set to take place at UFC 296 in December. White believes the decision to pit these considerably different fighters against each other is perfectly timed, given what both bring to the table. He addressed the concerns some fans have voiced about Pimblett being unproven and Ferguson’s challenging recent fights, saying that this seeming disparity in their careers adds to the exhilarating uncertainty of the match-up.
Moving into UFC 296, Ferguson is on a six-fight losing streak that has seen him defeated by Justin Gaethje and Michael Chandler in bouts that ended via knockout, and also succumbing to submission moves against Nate Diaz and Bobby Green. During the zenith of his career, finds himself at a potential turning point. Ferguson was highly regarded in the lightweight rankings, even securing the interim title at 155 pounds. Persistent scheduling issues prevented potential fights against then-lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov from coming to fruition, and Ferguson missed out on becoming the undisputed titleholder.
Now, the veteran fighter, at the age of 39, is standing on the precipice of a significant decision. A victory over the bright prospect Pimblett, could potentially revive his career, however, another defeat could push him to contemplate retirement. Regarding this possibility, White stated that he would leave the decision up to Ferguson, but added “But I’m sure if he loses to Paddy he would probably look at calling it [a career]. He’s had a great career. Done a lot of things, had a lot of big fights, and [another loss] probably would be a wrap for him, hopefully.”
Mirroring the high stakes, White defended this match, stating the newcomer Pimblett, despite his 4-0 record in the promotion, is untried and therefore, presents a suitable challenge for Ferguson to redirect his career. Interestingly, aside from Ferguson’s most recent loss to Green, his previous large-scale defeats have all been by opponents who either held a UFC title at some point or are currently ranked among the top 10 lightweight fighters. White commented on Ferguson’s form stating “If you look at Tony’s last few fights that he’s fought, he looked damn good. Before the [Michael] Chandler finish, and every fight that’s he’s fought in the last two or three fights, he looked damn good, right up until the end. It’s a fun, interesting fight with two fun and interesting characters.”