Paddy Pimblett doesn’t understand why Tony Ferguson is working with David Goggins ahead of their pay-per-view matchup.
Pimblett will face the former interim champion at UFC 296 on Dec. 16 in Las Vegas. “El Cucuy” has made headlines for going through “hell week” with the retired U.S. Navy SEAL, but Pimblett feels that what Goggins would typically help people with from a physical standpoint, Ferguson already has that.
“I think it’s bizarre,” Pimblett said on The Energized Show. “I think it’s f****** stupid. “If there’s two things Tony’s never needed help with is his mental state — because look at the armbar with Charles [Oliveira], he didn’t stop.
“And look at his cardio. He’s never had a problem with his cardio, so I don’t understand why he’s done it.”
Ferguson was one of the best lightweights in the world for well over six years, but since May 2020, he’s lost all six of his fights in dominant fashion, getting finished in four of those. The streak includes stoppage losses to Justin Gaethje, Michael Chandler, Nate Diaz, and Bobby Green, along with lopsided decision losses to Charles Oliveira and Beneil Dariush.
Pimblett is on the exact opposite end of the spectrum, entering the biggest fight of his career on a six-fight win streak, including a controversial decision win over Jared Gordon at UFC 282 in December 2022 in his most recent outing.
“The Baddy” believes there could be a mental side to Ferguson working with Goggins, but he doesn’t really see how that time spent will help him in the octagon.
“He must be thinking he’s not where he was mentally a couple of years ago,” Pimblett explained. “That’s not the reason he’s losing fights — it’s because he got older. and he’s lost athleticism, and he’s not as fast as he once was.
“Obviously, that beatdown from Gaethje changed his whole career, and then getting knocked out by Chandler the way that he did, his brain is not the same as it was three or four years ago.”
