Tony Ferguson may have lost his last 6 fights, but Paddy Pimblett is NOT overlooking the future UFC Hall of Famer ... telling TMZ Sports he's preparing for the "best version" of El Cucuy!
We talked to 28-year-old Pimblett ahead of his UFC 296 scrap with the 39-year-old legend ... and asked what he expected out of Ferguson.
"We've prepared for the best Tony Ferguson possible," Paddy said.
"What I just say is he's on a bit of a decline, and that's why I've said this fight is a lose-lose for me, cause when I win, people are gonna be like, 'you only beat a washed-up Tony' when he's still a dangerous motherf*****, and then if I did happen to lose, people would be like, 'Oh, Paddy's finished.