UFC lightweight Paddy “The Baddy” Pimblett is one of the organization’s hottest prospects. With a perfect record and a huge finishing rate, Pimblett is touting himself as a future champ. Unfortunately, injury sidelined Pimblett last year, and he has not fought since, but he has an idea for the comeback: coaching The Ultimate Fighter opposite his arch-nemesis, Ilia Topuria.
Pimblett also entertained the idea of fighting Matt Frevola for a comeback fight, after Frevola called him out in a recent post-fight interview.
Will Paddy The Baddy Coach “The Ultimate Fighter”?
“I’m just waiting to see when I come back. Obviously, Frevola is a nice one. He called me out — but I think about 12 people called me out in a post-fight interview. We’ll see what happens in the future.
I’d love to do a season of The Ultimate Fighter with Ilia Topuria, that would be hilarious. He looked good [in his last fight vs. Josh Emmett].”
Pimblett was quick to dismiss Topuria’s prowess, however. Although many commentators are heralding Topuria as a potential future champ, Pimblett isn’t convinced.
“Performance of the year? He couldn’t finish someone who is going to retire soon. Josh Emmett’s like 39, isn’t he? If you think that was a great performance, yeah, but I could finish Josh Emmett in my sleep.”
Unfortunately for Baddy fans, it’s unlikely that the Liverpudlian will return to action this year. His last fight was in December, and he’s spent the intervening time recovering from ankle surgery. Pimblett hopes for a return to action as soon as possible, and seems to have his heart set on an entertaining bout with Frevola:
“I don’t know how long it’ll be because I just fought in December. I don’t know when I’ll end up fighting, I want to fight towards the back end of this year.
But if I can’t and I won’t be able to, it’ll probably be here, March, next year. You’ll probably see a completely different version of me, to be honest.
I think it matches up sound. Styles make fights. It would be a very good fight, and that’s what I’m about. I like being in exciting fights. Of course, [I would take that fight].”
Paddy Pimblett has no return date set as of this writing, but it’s not unlikely that he’ll get close to headlining a UFC event, especially if it takes place in his native England.
Whether Pimblett can take on Ilia Topuria, who seems locked in at featherweight, is another story, but only time will tell.
