The Liverpudlian is targeting a return to action later this year and has recently been called out by a fellow top contender in the lightweight division
Polish MMA star Mateusz Gamrot has called for a fight with Paddy Pimblett following his impressive victory on Saturday night.
The 34-year-old didn’t mince words, dubbing Pimblett as the ‘idiot from Europe’ when naming opponents he would like to fight next. Currently sitting just a one sport above Liverpool’s own in the lightweight division at number seven, Gamrot is itching for the challenge.
Since joining the UFC ranks in 2020, Gamrot has been nothing short of formidable. He has amassed a respectable 8-3 record within the promotion. With a professional record of 25-3, the Polish powerhouse has dispatched notable fighters such as Jeremy Stephens, Carlos Diego Ferreira, Arman Tsarukyan, Jalin Turner, Rafael Fiziev, and Rafael dos Anjos.
On Saturday night, Gamrot clinched another victory, cruising to a unanimous decision over Ludovit Klein at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. Post-fight, UFC icon Daniel Cormier was quick to ask the 34-year-old who he would like to fight next. “Everybody, bro, everybody,” declared Gamrot.
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“Give me the list. I want to fight with everybody… Paddy [Pimblett] is the idiot from Europe, I want to fight with him. But like you said, if Benoit Saint-Denis want the smoke? [That’s] another easy fight. Paris, main event, five rounds, give me this guy [Saint-Denis].”
Gamrot’s call-out comes not long after Pimblett picked up the biggest win of his career against Michael Chandler. From start-to-finish, the Liverpool native dominated proceedings as he picked up a vicious knockout in the third round. He has since called for top lightweight contenders as he targets a return to the cage before the end of the year.
Pimblett is setting his sights on an October showdown with Justin Gaethje, believing a win would put him at the front of the queue for a UFC lightweight title shot. “I know for a fact if I beat Gaethje, I’m next in line. Definitely. It could be (the next fight),” Pimblett revealed to TNT Sports.
“It’s just if he says yeah or not. Because he’s fighting down the rankings again. Abu Dhabi. October. That pay-per-view. That’s when I want to fight. That’s what I’ll be gearing towards. After what I’ve done to (Michael) Chandler, I think I finish Justin Gaethje… Yeah, that’d be nice [to fight Gaethje].”
He added: “But I was thinking about it the other day: It’s probably better if Ilia wins the belt, because he’ll probably call me out and then I could just fight him. Maybe I wouldn’t even fight Gaethje, [and I could] just fight Topuria… It’d be far better for my career if Ilia wins because I’d, more than likely, be his first title defence.”
