- Michael Bisping weighed in on Tony Ferguson’s future ahead of his UFC 296 bout against Paddy Pimblett
- “The Count” thinks “El Cucuy” would lose his shine if “The Baddy” beats him and it would be best for him to retire
Michael Bisping doesn’t see Tony Ferguson’s career going anywhere if he ends up losing to Paddy Pimblett at UFC 296. For “The Count,” another defeat should be enough for “El Cucuy” to call it quits.
It’s all or nothing for Tony
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Bisping, who previously said Ferguson is still a “dangerous” fighter, flat-out suggests that “El Cucuy” and his star power would completely dissipate if Pimblett beats him.
According to the Brit, Ferguson has had a long career and his six-fight losing streak is already alarming. All it is waiting is a final straw and that could be a defeat to “The Baddy.”
“If he loses this fight, then yeah, maybe it’s time… When you look at the narrative… All you’ve got to do is look at the record of Tony Ferguson,” Bisping explained. “Went on the longest win streak in the UFC lightweight division, I believe, with 12. And now he’s on the longest losing streak at six. Certainly a change of form. Certainly dramatic. Certainly, a cause of concern.”
“When you look at the amount of times that he’s getting finished, it’s troubling,” he pointed out.
Tony just needs one win
On the other hand. Bisping believes that Ferguson still has a chance to end all the speculations about his career. For “The Count,” there is only one way and that is to pull off a huge win over Pimblett. It doesn’t necessarily have to be a finish but it has to be decisive.
“Should he retire If he loses, I believe so even though Paddy Pimblett is a big favorite coming in. He’s a big favorite because Tony has lost six times in a row. So the trend is showing us that the time in the limelight, the time at the top of the food chain is over for Tony Ferguson,” Bisping called. “However, if he can beat Patty Pimblett then I believe that he should stick around. Paddy Pimblett is a big star. He’s very popular, he’s got fantastic skills, he’s got his great Jiu-jitsu and I believe Paddy has a number of ways to beat him. Number one, he’s faster I don’t know about the better wrestler but he could probably match him for jiu-jitsu that’s for damn sure.”
“So it’s a tough fight on paper for Tony. I think Tony’s got more power but if Tony can somehow shock the world or shock that bookies, shock everyone that puts money on Paddy Pimblett then why shouldn’t he continue to fight,” he added.
Ferguson insists that his competitive fire is still there and he is not ready to retire yet. UFC 296 will take place on December 16 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
Check out Bisping’s full video below:
