Do you remember the iconic moment when a young Conor McGregor called out the UFC CEO after his debut Octagon triumph back in 2013: “Dana! Sixty G’s baby!” Talk about announcing yourself to the world! And what happened next is history! Something similar happened when British MMA sensation Paddy Pimblett unlocked a similar stratosphere of stardom following his victory over Michael Chandler and eventual callout at UFC 314. With the whole of Britain and MMA fans behind the Liverpudlian, Pimblett put himself at the centre of attention of the 155-pound division with his callout saying: “Anyone in the top four, top five. I want that world title! Laugh all you want and say I’ll never be champ. Just like you said, I’ll never get ranked, I’ll never be in the top 10. I want Dustin, Justin, Charles, or the little posh boy Arman.”
Are we seeing a repeat? Are we witnessing the second coming of a verbose yet emphatic cage artist? Or maybe a more modern and recent render of the faces of the UFC in the form of Sean O’Malley and Alex Pereira? It seems like it! And praising the Scouser and putting him among the top stars of the UFC was Chael Sonnen during his podcast Good Guy/Bad Guy with Daniel Cormier. The former two-division champ put up an important question first. He reminded us of the Englishman’s UFC 282 controversy, which could significantly affect his chances of breaking out like the biggest stars of the UFC.
“Can he be like Conor? Does he have that much Chael? Does he have that much that could get to that level, because at this point, Conor McGregor already was there! Conor was already there by the sixth-seven fight. Paddy has that rollercoaster ride. He was really hot, and then he had the Jared Gordon fight, where he kind of turned everybody off, and we hated him. Then he got emotional in the Octagon where he spoke about his friend’s mental health, and he kind of brought him back. He really has taken people on a journey, right?”
This is when Sonnen said: “It’s such a rare bar, I mean, where Conor McGregor and Kimbo Slice were kind of able to transcend cultures, and they’re the only two in the history of MMA. Paddy already brings a nation with him. Paddy’s already lining up jumbo jets, and they’re filling up arenas for him. Paddy got the loudest pop of the night in Miami. Like, he is over as a monetizable box office draw.”
He added, “And they haven’t even main-evented him yet. They haven’t even put him at the top of the marquee. McGregor’s status, that’s a tough one, I mean, in all fairness, that’s a tough one. You’ve got to transcend culture. You got all of a sudden, you got to get into movies and television, and there’s some, there’s some other things. But can Paddy challenge O’Malley? Can he challenge Alex Pereira? Yes, right here in 2025, he can start to break into those categories if Dana chooses to elevate him all the way to the main event.”
Daniel Cormier then focused on Chuck Liddell and McGregor as two of the biggest UFC stars of all time and but still said about Pimblett, “If you go to Chuck Liddell, Izzy, or Pereira status, you are a big star!”
Paddy the baddy Pimblett with post-event media during the UFC 304 event at Co-op Etihad Campus, SportCity, Manchester, England on 27 July 2024. Copyright: xAndyxRowlandx PMI-6350-0003
It is safe to say that if Dana White keeps pushing the Liverpudlian, we may get another superstar-level fighter like Pereira and O’Malley! Guys who bring in the bucks and the buzz. With Pimblett’s growing popularity, speculations about his next fight are also of great interest. While many are lining up the top lightweights for a future fight with the Scouser, another set of fans and veterans believe Paddy Pimblett has what it takes to bring McGregor out of his dark days and inside the Octagon.
Will Paddy Pimblett be the one to get Conor McGregor back inside the Octagon?
Pimblett made it clear after UFC 314 that he has no love for ‘The Notorious’, “Anyone can get it. Even McGregor. Putting money on Chandler to win, lad. The Irish-Scouse connection. He’s meant to back me and he never [does]. So if he wants it, he’ll get muffled ears as well. What happened, Conor, eh? Should have mentioned him in the cage, you little lizard. I thought you would’ve backed your own, lad. Irish and Scouse. If you are coming back, lad, let’s do it. Wembley, Croke Park. I’m after you as well.”
In Pimblett’s words, the Irish Scouse connection has been broken. McGregor was among those who doubted him, famously losing half a million dollars betting against the Scouser. But even then, Pimblett’s performance forced Conor to acknowledge his progress, as he said:
“My head did say Paddy. He’s improving, but with a way to go yet. Although the division is woeful, it is equal, and equal brings good fights. So happy days, ya’s’r welcome.”
Getting the attention of the organization’s biggest star is no small feat. Although no one knows when—or even if—Conor will return to the Octagon, one thing is clear: Pimblett is on his radar, and the feeling is mutual. As the Scouser continues his push toward lightweight glory and rises through the ranks, he knows a potential fight with McGregor could become very real.
Even Ilia Topuria acknowledged the possibility on the JRE MMA Show #166 episode, saying: “That’s gonna be a big fight!” But Pimblett isn’t the problem. With Conor, the opponent is never the problem. It’s the return—too late, too uncertain. And for a rising star like Paddy, waiting around could be a risky move.
One more victory, and a title fight could be in reach. If he continues rising and proving himself against top-tier competition, Paddy may just climb past McGregor’s legendary status. He has every reason to believe it—and all the tools to achieve it. What do you think is next for the Scouser? Let us know in the comments.
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