Tag: Paddy Pimblett

Paddy Pimblett reminds Dana White of Conor McGregor: ‘Everybody keeps doubting him’

Dana White sees similarities in the way Paddy Pimblett and Conor McGregor’s careers have unfolded.

[autotag]Dana White[/autotag] sees similarities in the way [autotag]Paddy Pimblett[/autotag] and [autotag]Conor McGregor[/autotag]’s UFC careers have unfolded.

Pimblett (22-3 MMA, 6-0 UFC) remained unbeaten in the octagon when he quickly submitted King Green at UFC 304 last month. The finish earned Pimblett a spot in the UFC lightweight rankings and an extra $200,000 in Performance of the Night bonus money.

White compared Pimblett’s rise and star power to McGregor’s, with the UFC CEO saying both fighters surpassed expectations.

“He reminds me of Conor when Conor first started,” White said during an interview with Jim Rome. “Because everybody said, ‘Oh, Conor’s not that good, all the hype, and this and that,’ and they just keep sticking it to everybody every time they fight.

“Paddy is one of those guys – everybody keeps doubting him, everybody keeps saying he’s not good. People keep calling him out and wanting to fight him. Then to go in and do what he did to Bobby Green, it’s hard to say that Paddy isn’t the real deal. He’s fun, he’s entertaining, and he’s a tough kid.”

A fan favorite, Pimblett is on the right track. However, he still has ways to go before reaching McGregor’s heights, as “The Notorious” holds numerous pay-per-view records, as well as becoming the first simultaneous UFC two-division champion. McGregor is also undoubtedly the sport’s biggest star, recently making his Hollywood debut in the remake of “Road House,” starring alongside Jake Gyllenhaal.

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Paddy Pimblett reacts to Islam Makhachev touting him as potential future UFC title challenger: ‘We’re coming’

Paddy Pimblett plans on giving UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev something to be excited about.

[autotag]Paddy Pimblett[/autotag] plans on giving UFC lightweight champion [autotag]Islam Makhachev[/autotag] something to be excited about.

Unbeaten in the octagon, Pimblett (22-3 MMA, 6-0 UFC) entered the top 15 lightweight rankings after a quick submission finish of King Green at UFC 304 in July.

Although Pimblett likely is a few fights away before entering title contention, Makhachev (25-1 MMA, 14-1 UFC) was asked about the popular Brit during a recent UFC Q&A in Abu Dhabi.

“When he deserve, why not?” Makhachev said. “If he won the next couple matches, when he’s going to be like top 10, why not? Because I don’t have some exciting fights in my division. We need some new names.

“I see how he finish King. It was a good performance, and now it’s the time that he has good opponents, when he’s at the top. Now he has to train more. Now it’s all guys who are so dangerous.”

Makhachev has found it hard to get up for a rematch with No. 1 contender Arman Tsarukyan since he already beat him in April 2019. Makhachev was looking forward to a move up to welterweight to chase dual-champion status, but his plans were put on hold after his friend Belal Muhammad claimed the title.

Pimblett reacted to Makhachev’s praise, and plans on seeing him in the near future.

“Did you see that where Islam was talking about me the other day? He said, ‘He’s an exciting fighter,’ and that ‘If he keeps winning, you never know,'” Pimblett said on his YouTube channel. “‘He could fight for the belt,’ and that. You know Islam, we’re coming. We’re coming brother, we’re coming.”

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Dustin Poirier praises Paddy Pimblett: ‘He’s talking the talk, walking the walk’

Dustin Poirier had nice things to say when asked about Paddy Pimblett.

[autotag]Dustin Poirier[/autotag] had nice things to say about [autotag]Paddy Pimblett[/autotag] when asked about the rising UFC star.

Pimblett (22-3 MMA, 6-0 UFC) has often been criticized and discredited since joining the UFC roster, but “The Diamond” liked what he saw out of him in his most recent outing. Pimblett became the first fighter to submit King Green in the octagon, needing less than a round to choke him out last month at UFC 304.

The finish earned Pimblett a spot in the UFC’s lightweight rankings, and Poirier was impressed with his performance.

“He’s another one of those guys whose trajectory is like, if he keeps doing what he’s doing, he’s going to be – not that he’s not massive, but he’s on the right track,” Poirier told MMA Junkie in an interview facilitated by his new sponsors at Brooks Running for its “Let’s Run There” campaign to promote the role running plays in health and wellness

“When you talk like that and people like your personality, and you go out there and finish guys, you know, vets and legends like Bobby. Of course, going into the fight, I knew he could win, but to finish Bobby Green that way, I was very surprised. He’s talking the talk, walking the walk, man.”

After submitting Green, Pimblett called out Renato Moicano, who’s currently slated to face Benoit Saint Denis in a UFC Fight Night headliner Sept. 28 in Paris. Pimblett earned a whopping $200,000 bonus for his finish of Green.

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Renato Moicano responds to Paddy Pimblett’s UFC 304 callout: ‘Be prepared because I’m going to f*ck you up’

Renato Moicano has issues his response to Paddy Pimblett.

Ask and you shall receive. [autotag]Paddy Pimblett[/autotag] called out [autotag]Renato Moicano[/autotag] and now he’s got a response.

The English star requested the winner of “Money” Moicano and Benoit Saint-Denis, which is set to headline the UFC’s return to Paris on Sept. 28, following his quick submission win over King Green this past Saturday at UFC 304. Although he called for the winner, he said he’d preferably like to face Moicano.

“Let me tell you something, Paddy Pimblett: If you want the smoke, my brother, be prepared, because I’m going to f*ck you up – 100 percent,” Moicano said on the ‘Show Me the Money’ podcast. “But I have to take my hat off: huge performance. I don’t want to be a hater and say, ‘Oh, he don’t deserve.’ No, you know what? Motherf*cker deserves to be in the top 15. That’s the truth.”

Apart from the callout, Pimblett (22-3 MMA, 6-0 UFC) also suggested that him and Moicano (19-5-1 MMA, 11-5 UFC) be opposing coaches for the next season of “The Ultimate Fighter.” Moicano is all in on the idea, but thinks some extra editing will have to be done if it comes to fruition.

“Respect to him because he not only called me out, but he said we need to do ‘The Ultimate Fighter,’ and I agree with that,” Moicano said. “It’s going to be the first ‘Ultimate Fighter’ with subtitles, my brother, because I cannot understand this motherf*cker. Maybe his English is worse than mine.”

Moicano also revealed he’s entering the fight against Saint-Denis on the final bout of his current UFC contract. He’d like to stay with the UFC and get a bigger bag.

“Let me talk serious about that, Paddy Pimblett: I’m planning on beating Benoit Saint-Denis in France, and then we talk business,” Moicano said. “Let me tell you something, UFC. Let me tell you something: Show me the money and let’s do it.”

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Video: Reassessing Paddy Pimblett after UFC 304: Serious contender?

Is Paddy Pimblett now a serious contender after his UFC 304 win? We discuss on “Spinning Back Clique.”

[autotag]Paddy Pimblett[/autotag] impressed many in his most recent trip to the octagon – enough to have people reassessing his potential in the stacked UFC lightweight division.

This past Saturday, Pimblett (22-3 MMA, 6-0 UFC) submitted [autotag]King Green[/autotag] in brutal fashion on the main card of UFC 304 in Manchester, England. This was the first time that Pimblett faced and beat someone in the UFC’s official rankings.

The result leff questions in the MMA community: Who should be next for the British star, and how far can he go at 155 pounds?

MMA Junkie’s Brian “Goze” Garcia, Nolan King, Danny Segura and host “Gorgeous” George Garcia discuss Pimblett’s big win over Green, along with a few other key results from UFC 304.

Watch their discussion in the video above, and don’t miss this week’s complete episode below on YouTube or in podcast form.

https://www.youtube.com/live/9k7Kg6cunT4

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Dana White anoints ‘real deal’ Paddy Pimblett as ‘superstar’ after UFC 304 wipeout of King Green

Dana White sees endless potential scenarios for Paddy Pimblett, who he dubbed a “superstar” after UFC 304.

It’s time to take [autotag]Paddy Pimblett[/autotag] seriously as a legitimate top-tier lightweight. That’s what UFC CEO [autotag]Dana White[/autotag] thinks.

Pimblett (22-3 MMA, 6-0 UFC) delivered big in the biggest spot of his career Saturday at UFC 304 when he choked King Green unconscious in highlight-reel fashion in front of a raucous crowd at Co-op Live in Manchester, England. It was the first fight on Pimblett’s new contract, and he received an extra $200,000 in Performance of the Night bonus money for his efforts.

The emphatic result sent Pimblett’s stock soaring and led to him declaring himself as a top 15 lightweight with sights on Renato Moicano, win or lose in his UFC Paris matchup with Benoit Saint Denis on Sept. 28. Pimblett also used the moment to bash those who said he would never achieve such heights in his career, and White said he deserves to do exactly that.

“He’s one of those guys that I think his personality or whatever it is – people aren’t afraid of him,” White told MMA Junkie and other reporters at the UFC 304 post-fight news conference. “I don’t know. I can’t explain it. He showed tonight you don’t have to be afraid of him, but you definitely have to worry about him. And now he’s in the top 15. And he’s never lost in the UFC. So he’s the real deal.”

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White was questioned about all sorts of scenarios in regards to Pimblett’s future. Will he get that fight will Moicano or someone on that level? Could he get a five-round headliner next? Would it take place in Europe?

The potential scenarios are endless for “The Baddy,” and now it’s White’s job to determine the best one.

“You can do anything with Paddy,” White said. “The guy’s a superstar. There’s no doubt about it. Everybody who keeps doubting him – he keeps proving everybody wrong. It was a big test for him and he breaks into the top 15 and did it impressively against a highly-motivated, very talented guy.”

 

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 304.

Chael Sonnen: Paddy Pimblett ‘right two fights’ away from title shot, suggests Michael Chandler next

Chael Sonnen has changed his tune on Paddy Pimblett’s potential following UFC 304.

[autotag]Chael Sonnen[/autotag] has changed his tune on [autotag]Paddy Pimblett[/autotag]’s potential.

From nothing more than a fan-favorite name to now a potential UFC champion, Sonnen’s outlook on the English star has changed dramatically following his latest win in the octagon. Pimblett (22-3 MMA, 6-0 UFC) picked up a vicious, first-round technical submission win over veteran Bobby Green on Saturday on the main card of UFC 304 in Manchester, England.

“I used to believe that Paddy was a regional fighter,” Sonnen said on “Good Guy/Bad Guy” podcast. “What do I mean by that? He can sell a lot of tickets in a specific venue, so keep bringing him to that geographic location. You can’t main event the guy, you can’t five-round him, you can’t move him up the rankings too fast. But bring in the right opponent, and we’re going to have some fun for three or four years. I don’t see Paddy that same way anymore.”

Pimblett is on an eight-fight winning streak and has yet to lose in the UFC. The former Cage Warriors champion most recently lost in 2018. Given his current run, Sonnen doesn’t think Pimblett is far from a title shot. In fact, he thinks the 30-year-old needs just two more wins.

“Paddy is two fights away – they’ve got to be the right two fights – but he is two fights away to fighting for a world championship,” Sonnen said. “And I don’t just mean that Dana (White) would sign the match. I mean that guys like (me) would be telling the (MMA) community, ‘This is the right matchup.’ Look through the rankings and eventually you’re going to come to a guy called Michael Chandler. And if Michael Chandler does not get the fight with Conor (McGregor), this, to me, looks like the perfect replacement.”

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 304.

Spinning Back Clique REPLAY: Belal Muhammad & Tom Aspinall’s UFC 304 title wins, UFC on ABC 7 preview, more

On “Spinning Back Clique,” our panel discusses UFC 304, previews UFC on ABC 7 in Abu Dhabi and much more.

Check out this week’s “Spinning Back Clique,” MMA Junkie’s weekly live show that takes a spin through the biggest topics in mixed martial arts.

This week’s panel of Brian “Goze” Garcia, Nolan King and Danny Segura will join host “Gorgeous” George Garcia live at noon ET (9 a.m. PT) to discuss and debate the following topics:

  • The UFC welterweight division has a new king. [autotag]Belal Muhammad[/autotag] defeated [autotag]Leon Edwards[/autotag] in a dominant decision win in the main event of UFC 304. This is a big shake up for the division. Who should be Muhammad’s first challenger? Where does Edwards go from here? We discuss.
  • In the co-main event of UFC 304, [autotag]Tom Aspinall[/autotag] retained his UFC interim heavyweight title by stopping [autotag]Curtis Blaydes[/autotag] in just 60 seconds. Did Aspinall prove he’s the best heavyweight on the planet? How does this result impact the expected title fight between Jon Jones and Stipe Miocic? We break down the Englishman’s win, along with the state of the heavyweight division.
  • Aside from Muhammad and Aspinall’s wins, there were other important results at UFC 304. [autotag]Paddy Pimblett[/autotag] viciously submitted veteran [autotag]Bobby Green[/autotag][autotag]. [autotag]Muhammad Mokaev[/autotag] continued his unbeaten run, but may have seen his UFC career come to an end. [autotag]Gregory Rodrigues[/autotag],[autotag] Nathaniel Wood[/autotag] and [autotag]Arnold Allen[/autotag] picked up important wins. We discuss it all.
  • UFC on ABC 7 goes down Saturday, and the UFC has brought many impressive matchups to Abu Dhabi. From its main event in [autotag]Cory Sandhagen[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Umar Nurmagomedov[/autotag], to [autotag]Tony Ferguson[/autotag]’s return, the panel previews all the action.
  •  Beyond UFC 304 in Manchester and the upcoming UFC Abu Dhabi, there has been plenty of news since the last Spinning Back Clique episode. We highlight the biggest headlines to close out the show.

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King Green breaks down UFC 304 loss to Paddy Pimblett: ‘I got killed. Let the ridicule begin’

Bobby Green changed his name to King ahead of UFC 304, but ran up against someone many are ordaining a future king in his division.

Bobby Green may have changed his name to King ahead of UFC 304, but in his fight there, he ran up against someone many are ordaining as a future king in his division.

[autotag]King Green[/autotag] (32-16-1 MMA, 13-11-1 UFC) was put to sleep Saturday by [autotag]Paddy Pimblett[/autotag] (22-3 MMA, 6-0 UFC) in their lightweight bout, which was the featured fight on the main card at UFC 304 in Manchester – a home fight for Paddy “The Baddy.”

Pimblett’s win was his most impressive yet in the UFC and came against an opponent in Green whom many picked to be his first loss. Green posted on social media about a day after the loss and appeared to be focused on the likelihood he’ll get his fair share of trolling-type comments from fans.

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“What a day. Thank you guys for checking in on me. I’m OK, I guess. Sh*t happens,” Green said in a video on his Instagram Stories. “I felt like I slipped into some sh*t and it all just went the perfect way. I had a bad night. No excuses. Sh*t happens. I live by a code: Kill or be killed. Today, I got killed. Let the ridicule begin. I know what comes with this. You guys can talk your sh*t. I know what comes with this. Let’s go.”

https://www.instagram.com/stories/bobbykinggreen/3422693005553169265

Green was in three straight bonus-winning fights in 2023, including back-to-back knockouts of Tony Ferguson and Grant Dawson. Ferguson is a former interim lightweight champion, and Dawson was unbeaten before he ran into Green – who knocked him out in 33 seconds.

Green was knocked out by Jalin Turner in late 2023, but bounced back in April with a high-profile win over Jim Miller at UFC 300 in Las Vegas to give him three wins in four fights until Pimblett halted his hope for momentum.

With the bonuses doubled to $100,000 for UFC 304 in Manchester, UFC CEO Dana White elected to give Pimblett a double shot of extra cash for $200,000.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 304.

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Paddy Pimblett delighted with UFC 304 stoppage win over Bobby Green: ‘I love shutting up haters’

Paddy Pimblett is happy to silence the critics once again.

MANCHESTER, England – Things didn’t work out for [autotag]Paddy Pimblett[/autotag] haters Saturday.

The British star ran through longtime UFC lightweight [autotag]Bobby Green[/autotag] on the main card of UFC 304 in what’s now arguably the best win of his UFC career. Pimblett (22-3 MMA, 6-0 UFC) needed less than one round to put Green (32-16-1 MMA, 13-11-1 UFC) to sleep with a triangle choke; he also had an armbar locked in.

Many thought Green was going to be too tough of a test for Pimblett because it was his first ranked opponent in the UFC. But “The Baddy” is delighted he proved his critics wrong once again.

“Oh it’s great. You can’t beat shutting some d*ckheads up,” Pimblett told reporters at the UFC 304 post-fight press conference. “It’s f*cking brilliant. I love shutting up haters, lad.

“The amount of people say, ‘He’s never going to be ranked. He’ll never be good enough to be ranked. He’ll never be in the top 15,’ and all that. Even fighters I’ve seen on YouTube talking sh*t and then to just go out there and put on a flawless performance and absolutely school him (was great).”

Pimblett’s technical submission win came from his opponent looking for the grappling and not the other way around – which surprised many, including Pimblett himself.

“I was surprised he shot in at all,” Pimblett said when asked about Green’s takedown attempt. “He’s had some brilliant standup fights with people like the Jim Miller fight. He stood with Jailin Turner. He’s done three rounds with (Rafael) Fiziev, and he won the third round and people kept talking about that in the build up to this. But everyone underestimates me, lad, just because I look like a 14-year-old girl.”

In the short time the fight was standing, Pimblett did appear to be getting the better of the exchanges, which likely triggered the takedown attempt from Green. He believes his striking is very underappreciated and wants people to start respecting what he can do on the feet.

“As I said all week, people thought I was going to come in and shoot in – and as I told you all, I didn’t need to,” Pimblett explained. “People underestimate my striking, don’t think I can strike. I had a striker shooting in on me. I kept him at the end of my range and the end of my jab and using my kicks and stuff.”

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 304.