It’s safe to say that at UFC 314, Paddy Pimblett stole the whole show from every fighter on the card when he finished Michael Chandler in their fight. Before he put down the clinical performance, many fans and veterans underestimated Pimblett’s abilities or whether he could pull this off. To their surprise, he did, and that too magnificently.
The third round of their fight was stopped abruptly after Pimblett’s knee strike and follow-up punches had left a bloodied Chandler lying on the floor. And on the other side? Paddy ‘The Baddy’ Pimblett was standing in all of his glory. After leaving the jaws open of the entire MMA community, Pimblett said, “Everyone said I didn’t belong in there with him — that I’d get knocked out in the first round. But I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: don’t underestimate me,” Pimblett said after the fight, grinning as he soaked in the moment. “Chandler’s a warrior, no doubt, but I knew if I stayed composed, I’d outlast him. People forget, I’m not just hype —I’m here to prove I belong with the best, and I just did.”
However, a few months after this victory, UFC lightweight and teammate of Michael Chandler, Jared Gordon, revealed that ever since Gordon was training and prepping Chandler for the fight, he knew Pimblett would win. Gordon gave ‘Iron Mike’ some compliments for KO’ing Tony Ferguson and beating Dan Hooker but also said that Chandler is on two wins and five losses in his UFC run.
Sitting down alongside UFC Hall of Famer Michael Bisping, Gordon said, “Two and five in the UFC — man, or whatever his record is — he beat Dan Hooker in, you know, what was it, the first two minutes? That could happen to anyone. I think if Dan and Mike fought now, it would be a different story. As for the Tony Ferguson knockout, he almost got dropped in the first round. I’m not trying to bash Mike — Mike’s my friend; I’m not talking bad about him right now. You’re doing a good job, though. It’s good, keep it going.”
He further added, “But man, I liked watching him train for the fight. I helped him; I was trying to give him pointers. From my point of view, he just wasn’t doing what he had to do to win that fight. So, going into it, I knew Paddy was going to win.” A point to notice here is that Gordon has competed against Paddy, and he lost to him by a controversial decision. The grudge was there, but the man chose honesty over animosity.
December 23, 2023, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA: PADDY PIMBLETT 21-3-0 of Huyton, United Kingdom defeats TONY FERGUSON 26-10-0 of Oxnard, California by unanimous decision 30-27, 30-27, 30-27 during UFC 296 at T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas Las Vegas USA – ZUMAo117 20231223_zsp_o117_011 Copyright: xMikaelxOnax
The victory of Paddy Pimblett over Michael Chandler didn’t just earn the Scouser some fame; it also made him a top lightweight contender. Though Paddy always knew he was one among the best, the veterans found out the hard way.
Paddy Pimblett makes UFC veterans eat their words
Whether they were commentators, fighters, or analysts, people who doubted Paddy Pimblett had to eat their words after he beat Michael Chandler at UFC 314. Beforehand many thought Chandler would knock him out, but what happened was, as Paddy says, “Scousers don’t get knocked out.”
Legendary UFC commentator and the multi-faceted host of the podcast ‘The Joe Rogan Experience,’ Joe Rogan, remained humble, and in his tone of respect for the British MMA sensation, he said, “I’ll be honest, I thought Paddy was getting fed to the wolves with this matchup. But he showed up, stayed calm, and fought like a seasoned vet. He proved a lot of us wrong tonight.”
The former double-weight (light-heavyweight and heavyweight) champion Daniel Cormier, in awe, said, “I questioned his ability to handle pressure at this level. Not anymore. That wasn’t just a win — it was a composure clinic.” But even Paddy has to realize that with each passing compliment, the expectations on him rise as well.
In his admiration, even the ‘Bad Guy’ of the UFC joined these veterans in praising ‘The Baddy,’ as Chael Sonnen said, “Look, I said Chandler was going to steamroll him — and I wasn’t alone. But Paddy came in there and made it look like he belonged from the opening bell. I gotta give the kid credit.” And the final badge of approval came from the former interim lightweight champion and legend Dustin ‘The Diamond’ Poirier, as he said, “I didn’t think he had the tools to deal with someone like Mike. But hey, he proved he’s more than hype. I’ll give him that.”
So what’s next for Paddy Pimblett? Only time can tell. But with sky-high expectations on his back, he has to take each step carefully. Many see the Scouser as a future lightweight champion. What do you think? Let us know in the comments.
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