Jared Gordon is booked as the next opponent for rising UFC star Paddy “The Baddy” Pimblett, and has high hopes for the matchup. Gordon told MMAJunkie that he hopes to use their shared lived experience to raise awareness and shine a light on mental health issues.
Paddy Pimblett’s last UFC outing saw him deliver a tearful speech on the microphone begging men to seek help for mental health issues. Pimblett had lost a close friend to suicice not long before the fight, an experience Jared Gordon says they shared.
Jared Gordon Hopes To Improve Mental Health Awareness with Pimblett Fight
‘“He preaches for mental health; I preach for mental health. I think together we could raise awareness for mental health. He recently lost his friend to suicide. I lost my best friend, who was a pro fighter, as well to suicide a little over a year ago. Literally my best friend.
And we share common things in our lives, and I think together we could do something to raise awareness instead of just fighting. But in the meantime, we can just entertain the fans, put on a good fight, make some money, better ourselves, and help other people.”
As for the fight itself, Jared Gordon is optimistic about how he will fare against Liverpool’s rising star. Pimblett is notorious for his jiu-jitsu prowess, and recently added knockout power to his skillset. Gordon acknowledged how “dangerous” Pimblett is, but believes the fight is “great” for him from a stylistic standpoint.
“He’s dangerous, and he’s got certain skill sets that pose dangers. He goes for it. He’s not scared to fight. He’s got good grappling. He’s got good throws, and he’s unorthodox, and he’s a character. I like him. It’s nothing malicious on my end, and I think it’s a great fight for me stylistically.
I think it’s gonna be action packed. I’ve been getting a lot more comfortable on my feet. It’s weird. I was super comfortable on my feet and then I kind of got away from it, and now I’m back, but I’m a grappler.
Yeah, I did get out-grappled by Grant Dawson. I made some mistakes in that fight, but that was my first submission loss. I’m known as a grappler, so I think that on the feet or on the floor, it’s gonna be a fun fight.”
This might be a rare UFC matchup with minimal trash talk. Do you have a prediction for the fight itself? Let us know in the comments.
