Pimblett secured the biggest win of his career on Saturday night, when he brutally knocked out Michael Chandler in the co-main event at UFC 314
Lightweight star Paddy Pimblett has declared he’s up for a clash with former dual-weigh UFC champion Conor McGregor.
The Scouse fighter maintained his perfect UFC streak, delivering a knockout blow to Michael Chandler in the co-main event at UFC 314 on Saturday night in Miami. The 30-year-old never seemed at risk of defeat against the experienced MMA fighter, dominating from the first bell.
Pimblett was agile and in command from the opening bell, catching Chandler off-balance repeatedly with sharp leg kicks. It became clear by the end of the first round that ‘Iron’ Chandler was fatiguing. In the third round ‘The Baddy’ really took control of proceedings.
After a successful takedown, Pimblett hammered down punishing blows unanswered, resulting in the ref halting the fight. Prior to the bout, McGregor had backed Chandler with a hefty $500,000 bet. On social media before the face-off, the Dubliner stated: “What’s up, everybody.
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“It’s the ‘Notorious’ … I want to wish you all a great fight night tonight, and come through for my best bet of the night. The fight I’m interested in is Michael Chandler vs Paddy Pimblett. And I’m going Michael Chandler to win, and win by KO. Though Paddy has improved in his last few outings, I still fancy Chandler to do it. Let’s go, boys.” The wager would have returned him $2.5million if it had come to fruition.
When asked for his thoughts about the pre-fight bet, Pimblett didn’t hold back in his assessment and was even quick to call out the 36-year-old. “Even (Conor) McGregor putting money on Chandler to win, lad. The Irish-Scouse connection,” he said at the UFC 314 post-fight press conference. “He’s meant to back me. And even never! So if he wants it, he can get it as well.”
The Brit was then quizzed by a reporter if he was surprised when the Irishman opted against betting on him, to which he replied: “Yeah I didn’t think he’d go against me, to be honest. I thought he’d back me and not Chandler, but it’s one of them isn’t it?”
Pimblett was then asked for his thoughts on what he might say should he come face-to-face with McGregor again. “I don’t know if I’ll ever see him. You never know, I’ll say to him ‘what happened there? F*****g hell, the Irish-Scouse connection, you’re meant to back me, but you went for the Yank instead.’ But, it’s one of them, if he ever wants to come back, I’ll be here waiting.”
While addressing his next move and his ongoing rivalry with Ilia Topuria, who has vacated his former featherweight champion title to rise to lightweight, Pimblett signalised that despite being eager for a direct title fight, he’s open to facing the Georgian-Spaniard in his new division.
“To be honest, I forgot about him (Ilia Topuria). I forgot all about him as I would’ve mentioned his name in the cage. I don’t call him ‘sanitiser boy’ anymore, he’s now ‘chorizo’. But, as I said, I literally forgot all about him. That’s how irrelevant he is. I’m ranked higher than he is lightweight. I’d like to welcome him to 155, but apparently he’s sitting out and waiting for the title shot, but what I’ve done to Chandler is half the blueprint to beating him… he’s even more of a midget than Chandler is. Like, I’ll do the exact same to him like what I did to Chandler. But as I say, anyone can get it.”
