Will Tony Ferguson’s BRUTAL training with ex-US Navy SEAL David Goggins revive his career? Eccentric American’s UFC future is on life-support and Paddy ‘The Baddy’ Pimblett could pull plug at UFC 296

• Tony Ferguson will go down as one of the UFC’s most legendary fighters
• But clash with Paddy Pimblett could be last chance saloon for the 39-year-old
• Paddy ‘The Baddy’ Pimblett MUST seize his moment in the UFC 296 limelight after seeing his career stutter – The Hook 

When Tony Ferguson says he’d wear his trademark sunglasses in the cage if he was allowed, you believe him. 

The eccentric American remains one of the most fascinating individuals in the UFC but has his back pressed firmly against the wall ahead of Saturday’s clash with Paddy Pimblett. 

Is he a unique combat sports genius? Or is he mad as a box of frogs? It depends who you ask. But there is at least consensus that Ferguson is an MMA legend and future Hall of Famer. 

The main question now is, how much life is still in the old dog? Six consecutive defeats have calls for his retirement growing louder. Granted, those were all against top talent, but seeing the once great man battered from pillar to post is not a great look for anyone. 

Another convincing loss to ‘The Baddy’ could convince the UFC it is time to part ways. Drastic action was needed for Ferguson to change his fortunes and it came in the shape of David Goggins. 

Tony Ferguson (right) has lost six in a row and is desperate for a reversal in fortunes

A post shared by David Goggins (@davidgoggins)

Goggins is best known to many as the former US Navy SEAL who performs extreme feats of endurance and shares motivational clips on Instagram. 

He once broke a world pullup record – completing 4,030 in 17 hours. This is a physical and mental specimen of the highest order and Ferguson allowed him to do his worst.

Goggins put him through ‘hell week’ and Ferguson pushed his body so hard the only respite was running to the bathroom to vomit and catch his breath, before that was banned too and sick bags were provided in the gym instead. 

In Las Vegas, Ferguson explained to reporters: ‘That’s the most humbling s***. It was a crazy experience.

‘Everybody else, f*** you. Being real. Everybody thinks it’s easy. Everybody on f****** Instagram, they can say whatever the f*** they want. They want to train with him. It’s an experience. It’s life-changing s***.

‘The reality part, it was hard as f***. One of the hardest things I’ve done in my life. I’m glad I did it. To be real, I didn’t know what chief was about. I really didn’t. I knew that I needed to do it. I showed up, no questions asked. No bulls***. 

‘It was always, “Yes sir, yes coach.” It didn’t matter what time it was or what we had to do, no questions. No, “How many are we doing? How long are we going to go?” No, whatever.

He went on: ‘The only question I had was looking at the menu to myself what can I eat to keep the food down. Because I was throwing everything up that week. Once that bulls*** stopped — it didn’t stop for a while — it was just the biggest mental f****** alley-oop that I needed to get my s*** together. I’m very glad for it. 

A post shared by David Goggins (@davidgoggins)

UFC veteran Ferguson says he would wear sunglasses to fight if he was allowed

Michael Chandler knocked out Ferguson with a brutal up kick back in May last year

‘Now it’s very cool because we went to training at the compound and I feel back at home. It was the realest f******* thing and it was what I needed to f****** do this.’

Some are sceptical about Ferguson’s approach. Both Michael Bisping and Pimblett point out that his mental toughness has never been a problem for him. 

The reality is at 39 with so many hard battles in the tank, father time might just be catching up on him. 

Ferguson himself scoffs at the suggestion, saying: ‘I’m here. I’m back to where I needed to be. Much better than I ever have been. I’m faster, I’m stronger, I’m more mentally strong than any f*****g person who is going to be here that walks through these f*****g cage walls. That has ever been through these cage walls. You guys will see on Saturday. It’s hardly going to be the same me.

‘So this little f***** is going to have his hands full on f******g Saturday. He’s going to have a taste of real s**t.’

Ferguson’s training methods were unorthodox even when he was putting together an outrageous 12-fight win streak. He kicked lampposts to condition his shins among other unusual movement drills. 

Anthony Pettis was one of Ferguson’s victims when he was on a remarkable streak

Many have raised an eyebrow at Ferguson’s unusual training techniques down the years

What makes his fight with ‘The Baddy’ so interesting is the unknowns. Pimblett has won all of his fights in the UFC thus far but is coming off major surgery and has not fought someone of Ferguson’s pedigree before. 

And ‘El Cucuy’ must prove he can still belong in the most dangerous weight class of the biggest promotion in the world. 

‘I’m back to where the f*** I need to be,’ insists the American. ‘I’m going to hit him hard. I’m going to set the pace. I’m going to make his face a ketchup sandwich.’

That is exactly what the Ferguson of old used to do. His razor blade elbows sliced up some of the best fighters on the planet. 

‘What happens when you get to that age, you slow down,’ reasons Pimblett. ‘He has relied on athleticism and speed to get out of trouble in the past but can’t now.’

The match-up is fascinating from a tactical perspective, too. Pimblett has an elite ground game, but so does Ferguson. ‘The Baddy’ also has a stand-up defence that has been questioned by some. 

Pimblett was last in action against Jared Gordon and is out to regain momentum 

He will occasionally take a shot to land one, which could make for a three-round bloodbath against Saturday’s opponent. 

Even though he describes the fight as ‘lose-lose’ because he is expected to put Ferguson out to pasture, Pimblett is desperate to quiet the trolls who turned on him after his controversial win over Jared Gordon this time last year. 

‘It is going to be nice to shut a lot of haters up,’ he said with a grin at the UFC Apex facility. It is going to be really lovely to do it.’

Whether this is the same Ferguson who hasn’t tasted victory in four-and-a-half years, or a throwback to the lethal, unpredictable genius he used to be is the big question. 

If it’s the latter, Goggins might have a few more UFC stars knocking on his door.  

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