Paddy Pimblett is more than happy to spill a little claret in the cage this weekend.

On Saturday night at UFC 296 in Las Vegas, Pimblett returns to the cage for the first time in a year to take on Octagon veteran Tony Ferguson. ‘El Cucuy’ comes into the fight on the back of a six-fight streak of defeats; a situation which came about, he said, after he says he lost focus on what it was that had brought him a 12-fight win streak just prior.

Some of that, Ferguson explained to the media this week, involved breaking out those slicing elbows which have sent more than one of his previous opponents to the back to receive stitches after a fight — and if this is to be the case on Saturday night, so be it according to Pimblett.

“You’re head has gone lad, you need to grow up,” Pimblett said, addressing Ferguson at the UFC 296 press conference in Las Vegas late on Thursday night. “You’re about 14 in the head you little not. When I’m standing over your unconscious body on Saturday night like Michael Chandler, you’ll know who the f*ckng boy is. Cut me open like you said you’re going to do, because I’ll be ground and pounding your unconscious skull, you f*cking little bum.”

He added: “I can’t wait and I can’t believe you’ve actually got a suit on. Every other day you’re like an 8-year-old who has just dressed himself for the first time. You look like a f*ckng idiot.

“Bring the blades out then lad, you said you’re going to cut your last six opponents and you can’t do f*ck all against them because you’re an old crab.”