Almost seven months have passed since we last saw ‘The Baddy’ grace the octagon. Fans and haters alike are eagerly awaiting some fight news, I personally get asked every so often by more casual viewers of the sport when are we gonna see Paddy back in action. Simply put we still aren’t sure and nothing is yet to be confirmed. Today I’m gonna recap his most recent bout which ended in controversy at UFC 282 against Jared Gordon, I will then give you my take on three potential opponents for Paddy on his return and how I see the fights going.
Pimblett vs Gordon recap
Now, this was a challenge I believe most fight fans expected Paddy to pass with flying colours and continue his rise to superstardom. It wasn’t to be, he did pick up a victory via the judge’s scorecards on the night. Gordon is no easy matchup for anyone, he has an awkward style and makes fights dirty and forces opponents into bad decisions. Paddy made some bad decisions during the fight and ended up getting the nod from the judges in a razor-thin win at UFC 282. Something else that was undeniably a factor during that fight week in December of 2022 is the fact that Paddy’s stock took a nosedive both in and outside the octagon, with his now infamous MMA hour moment with host Ariel Helwani, where it is rumoured to believe Paddy requested payment for an interview and openly mocked Ariel a supposed friend alongside Dana White on Paddy’s chatting pony podcast.
Potential opponents
I and many others believe Paddy should’ve suffered his first defeat inside the octagon at UFC 282, the Englishman was given the nod by the judges and stayed undefeated within the organisation on that night. That being said he’s currently 4-0 in the UFC and riding a nice wave of momentum, in my opinion, these are his three best options currently at lightweight. Tough veteran Jim Miller, a rematch with Jared Gordon or a matchup with #14 ranked Lightweight Matt Frevola, here’s why I believe these are his best options.
Firstly Jim Miller, a future hall of famer in my opinion, is well removed from his prime. This would be a risky but very winnable fight for Pimblett against a well-known fighter, this matchup makes a ton of sense as Paddy’s next fight in the octagon. Secondly, Paddy’s most recent opponent Jared Gordon, Paddy has admitted since the fight that it was much closer than he initially believed it to be so this would provide him the opportunity to silence any doubters and regain momentum, I also think this would be a good option for Paddy. The toughest of the three matchups for Paddy, the #14 ranked Lightweight Matt Frevola is scorching hot after his first-round knockout of Drew Dober at UFC 288. He then called Paddy out by name afterwards, this would be a big step up and a win that would put Paddy straight into the top 15. The toughest test but the most rewarding, I look forward to seeing which route he takes.
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