After Beatdown, Paddy Pimblett Tapped to be All-Round Champion Material, by Michael Chandler

Michael Chandler again breaks media silence on Paddy Pimblett loss, tags him to be able to snag UFC 155-pound title, someday soon.

After Beatdown, Paddy Pimblett Tapped to be All-Round Champion Material, by Michael Chandler

Michael Chandler doesn't rule out Paddy Pimblett bagging UFC 155-pound title (Source: IMAGO/X)

Englishman Paddy Pimblett has long had the push of UFC brass and bossman to become a proper superstar. However, it has also led to drawbacks, with the fight clique critiquing much of his wins as fadeout handovers from UFC Execs.

But time and again, ‘Baddy’ has proven himself to be a proper contender. Now, after a hard-hitting loss from the down-to-earth yet gritty Liverpudlian, Michael Chandler has raised him as champ material.

Paddy Pimblett edged one step closer to UFC 155-pound title contention with an easy third-round TKO of Michael Chandler at UFC 314 PPV in April. The dominant Englishman has now cracked #8 on the official lightweight athletes’ rankings. Before, he entered the top-15 divisional rankings with a SOTY-worthy finish of veteran King Green.

Although he doesn’t rank Pimblett’s overall, all-round pound-for-pound arsenal as elite, Chandler thinks he could become a UFC champion.

Definitely [yeah], possibly [He could be champion], …I mean, I think he’s better than a lot of us gave him credit for. Being in there with him, …I wouldn’t say that he’s got this crazy amount of skills or this crazy amount of power. He’s crazy good in any direction, but he’s not excellent anywhere, but he’s good pretty much everywhere.

Michael Chandler to The Schmo (@theschmo312)

Before morphing into a proper contender with a win over Mr. Bellator and brand ex-title challenger, Chandler, Baddy logged meaningful victories against Tony Ferguson, Jared Gordon, and Jordan Leavitt.. He is 7-and-nil at the moment and that close to logging the exclusive ‘8-0’ UFC club as top shot title contender. However, ‘Paddy the Baddy’ often finds the relative narrative shifting on his wins, as easy pickings over old guys, or bossman privilege.

A win over the explosive Chandler somewhat rectified that for the Team Next Generation MMA Liverpool top crop. Once touting that even the longtime UFC 155-pound ex-champ and #1P4P topper can’t defend against him, he still has plans to make that top shot.

Now, Paddy Pimblett has had a long feud going against former featherweight and new 155 peer Ilia Topuria. The fallout from this Saturday’s “Topuria vs. Oliveira” PPV main event, live from T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas, could match ‘Baddy’ up against him. ‘Iron’ also explained what he thinks of Pimblett, on a skill-to-skill level.

Michael Chandler talked about “pretty much” all-around good martial artist, Paddy Pimblett

Pimblett, a big UK PPV draw and crowd favorite, once told The Guardian that his distinctive coiffure and absence of body tattoos enable juveniles to identify with him in a manner that would not be possible if he were a robust, fight-monger, trash-talker, “big hard fella with lots of tattoos“.

Paddy Pimblett has good, range-fighting style
Paddy Pimblett has good, range-fighting style (Source: X)

His floppy locks and a mix-mash song between ‘Lethal Industry’ by Sunnery James & Ryan Marciano – ‘Heads Will Roll’ by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs are a good bid at fame and make him an atypical icon. ‘Baddy’ is a one-for-all ‘one’ particular user-friendly but hard-hitting style. His fighting shtick is somewhat similar; not too iconic, like Dricus Du Plessis’ head-first K-1 hard swinging style kickboxing, and sturdy, planted anti-wrestling style of fighting.

Neither is it just standup and crisp sweet science from 155-pounders like Dustin Poirier, (now) Max Holloway, and Justin Gaethje. With a long demeanor, he uses range-fighting MMA and basic grappling; something he has been doing since joining Next Generation MMA at age 15. Michael Chandler felt all that in full wrath when he faced him.

He’s got…he’s got a long body…he uses that range, he uses his kicks really well. Whether it was me having a bad night or him having a great night, or that is just who he is, it was tough to kind of get the distance…and by the time I got the distance, took the knee, and then that’s fighting for you. You know, we go out there, we lay it on the line, and sometimes bad things happen.

Michael Chandler further said

After his clear domination of Michael Chandler, ‘Baddy’ is on a long leg and has five out of six contractual fights left in his current run. He renewed his contract after UFC 304. He still has title aspirations and has a clear path towards it in the near future. For now, though, he is not booked and highly expects a clash with Topuria after this weekend.

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