Robert Whittaker is not counting out Tony Ferguson against Paddy Pimblett.
Ferguson (25-9 MMA, 15-7 UFC) will look to snap a six-fight losing skid against Pimblett (20-3 MMA, 4-0 UFC) on Dec. 16 at UFC 296 in Las Vegas. Although he’s hoping to see a career resurgence from Ferguson, Whittaker acknowledges that the former UFC interim lightweight champion hasn’t been the same fighter as of late.
“I think me and a lot of other UFC fans, especially fans of Tony Ferguson, because I’m a fan of Tony Ferguson, we thought his last fight was his last fight,” Whittaker said on his MMArcade Podcast. “That’s what it looked like.
“It’s not like he’s been on an incline or he’s been just getting beaten or he’s been having tight fights but losing just somehow. It hasn’t been that way, and honestly the Tony Ferguson I saw last time in the octagon was just one that, I don’t know, doesn’t look like he has it anymore.”
Unbeaten in the octagon, Pimblett saw his stock take a hit when he edged out Jared Gordon in a controversial decision win at UFC 282 last December. Oddsmakers are heavily favoring Pimblett to beat Ferguson, but Whittaker thinks it’s a winnable fight for “El Cucuy.”
“Paddy, one of the fastest rising stars of the game and then fastest falling stars in the game,” Whittaker continued. “It’s crazy. This fight is great for that reason. I think people are going to watch it because of that. That reason, and you know what? I think Tony could beat Paddy. Even the Tony we saw last time I think could beat Paddy.
“I do think Paddy was overhyped for his skillset, which is fine because there are a lot of guys that get into the UFC and have to develop their skillsets and develop their caliber as they go along. That’s just the nature of the game. You don’t need to start in the UFC as a beast. Problem was his mouth. He was running his mouth, and he was acting like he was already the best when obviously we saw some things that suggested you still got to work on some things.”
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 296.