Few UFC debutantes get to enjoy the level of hype Paddy Pimblett brought about leading up to his promotional debut in Las Vegas. Fewer still get to live up to the hype. Pimblett laid claim to his self-proclaimed title as the UFC’s new cash cow with a first-round knockout victory, just as the Liverpool native predicted.
In the post-fight press conference, Pimblett reiterated his grandiose claims. “People think I’m a grappler, and I’ve just shut everyone up. I can strike. I can grapple. I can wrestle. I’ve got the personality, I’ve got the look. The new king’s here, lad.”
Paddy Pimblett on Stunning UFC Debut: “The New King’s Here”
Pimblett, a former Cage Warriors featherweight champion, was supremely confident leading up to the fight. “It was never going to go wrong. This is my destiny.”
Of course, those watching the fight saw Pimblett eat a vicious left book from opponent Luigi Vendramini early in the round. It looked for a moment as if overconfidence might just have brought about the quickest fall from grace in UFC history. Pimblett endured, however, acknowledging that he needs to work on his stand-up defense.
“I showed everyone that I can come through adversity as well, because he did catch me with a nice left hook. I need to stop letting people punch me in the face. I want to put on too much of a show, so I just put my hands down and get into firefights with people. I do it in the gym.
I can’t help myself. I like fighting. It’s pretty stupid, because it can go wrong, but it didn’t go wrong.” Pimblett has been chomping at the bit to make his UFC debut ever since signing with the organization earlier this year. “Luigi Vendramini was the fourth name I got put forward to me for this fight.
Every other name I got put to me I said yeah. I’ll never say no to a fight. I’m not a b*tchass. Whatever name gets put to me on the contract, I’m going to sign it. I don’t care if they’re ranked or not ranked or where they’re from, or where it is, if it’s in their backyard.
If it’s in their backyard, everyone will start going sick when I walk out anyway. That’s just what I do.” As for what’s next, Paddy “The Baddy” wants to fight again by the end of 2021, preferably on home soil.
“But as Dana said … he said honorable mention to Paddy the Baddy. He knows it will be fun going back to England with this kid.
November or December, let’s get a show in England, and let’s blow the roof off.” What do you think of Pimblett’s UFC debut? Let us know in the comments.
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