Fans aren’t surprised about Paddy Pimblett being a sizeable betting favorite against Tony Ferguson.
Earlier this week, Dana White announced a handful of intriguing fights, including Ferguson vs. Pimblett, which takes place on December 16 at UFC 296. Once the matchup was confirmed, fans began to question the matchmaking due to the six-fight losing streak of ‘El Cucuy’ and the worldwide superstar potential of ‘The Baddy.’
Betonline tends to quickly release betting odds for recently announced fights. The gambling website revealed their line for Ferguson vs. Pimblett has the former UFC interim lightweight champion as a +240 underdog with Pimblett as a -280 favorite.
Once the odds circulated on Twitter, fans filled comment sections with various reactions, including the following people saying:
“Such a dumb fight. Feeding paddy a washed up legend to further promote his shenanigans.”
“It’s sad that Tony is now just cannon fodder for the UFC.”
“I think people are still holding out for Tony to rewind the clock and have one more classic performance. Reality is often disappointing.”
“It should be double this!”
“As he should. Tony isn’t even top 15 anymore. Nothing is impossible in this sport but Tony winning here is improbable”
“Quite small considering it’s Tony”
What’s at stake between Paddy Pimblett and Tony Ferguson?
There’s no doubt that Tony Ferguson needs a win on December 16. Since defeating Donald Cerrone in 2019, Ferguson has lost six consecutive fights including his most recent Octagon appearance against Bobby Green.
Meanwhile, Paddy Pimblett also has something to prove. In December 2022, Pimblett extended his UFC record to 4-0 with a controversial unanimous decision win against Jared Gordon. ‘The Baddy’ now looks to continue silencing doubters by getting his hand raised once again.
At UFC 296, both Paddy Pimblett and Tony Ferguson cannot afford a loss. If ‘El Cucuy’ doesn’t get the win, there’s a chance his UFC tenure comes to an end. On the contrary, ‘The Baddy’ would lose a lot of hype with a defeat in his upcoming fight.
Despite the widely held belief that Pimblett will beat Ferguson, anything can happen when the Octagon door closes. Therefore, the former interim UFC lightweight champion shouldn’t be overlooked until the fight plays out inside the T-Mobile Arena.
