Dana White Left Surprised With Paddy Pimblett’s Warrior-like Trait At UFC 324

The durable chin of Paddy Pimblett was on full display during the UFC 324 main event, which really surprised promotional CEO Dana White.

Dana White Left Surprised With Paddy Pimblett’s Warrior-like Trait At UFC 324

Dana White praised Paddy Pimblett after UFC 324 war against Justin Gaethje (Image via talkSPORT/UFC.com)

🔍 Explore this post with:

ChatGPTPerplexityGrok AIGoogle AI

UFC CEO Dana White is always on the lookout for the next superstar talent to grace the octagon. The 2000s had Chuck Liddell and Brock Lesnar. Meanwhile, the 2010s had Ronda Rousey and Conor McGregor. Fast-forward to the 2020s, Paddy Pimblett is one such name that is very popular with the MMA community.

Dana White has done whatever it takes to push Pimblett to the forefront. It is very evident as fans point out that Pimblett has ‘Dana White Privilege’, something only a few other fighters have experienced. This is why the fans lashed out when Arman Tsarukyan was snubbed, and Pimblett was inserted to the interim title fight against Justin Gaethje at UFC 324.

After the UK star lost to Gaethje, many fans were rejoiced to see a beaten and bloodied Pimblett. They felt that ‘The Baddy’ received favorable matchmaking from the UFC to have a 7-0 record before facing Gaethje. However, Dana White didn’t see it that way, and issued further praise to the popular UK fighter for surviving brutal strikes from his opponent at UFC 324.

I didn’t know Paddy Pimblett had a chin like that until tonight. An absolute dogfight and a war, much respect to the both of those guys. We sent Paddy Pimblett straight to the hospital, and we’re gonna send Gaethje too.

Dana White said at the UFC 324 post-fight presser

The durability of Pimblett needs to be acknowledged no matter how much ‘Dana White Privilege’ he has received in his career. The UK star truly lived up to his viral statement, “Scousers don’t get knocked out” after the UFC 324 war.

The lack of a one-punch knockout strike truly hurt Pimblett in the interim title bout. The UK star landed 124 strikes of which 117 were significant. Meanwhile, Gaethje is known for brutalizing opponents and bloodied Pimblett up just like he does to other opponents. The fact that ‘The Baddy‘ was able to avoid a KO/TKO loss proves that he belongs in the top 10 of the division.

With Dana White looking at this loss as a positive, it remains to be seen if Pimblett faces other dangerous fighters in the division like Tsarukyan, Mateusz Gamrot, and Rafael Fiziev moving forward. Two solid victories over other top 10 contenders would definitely be enough for a popular star like Pimblett to receive a title shot. However, the current champion remains unimpressed with the UK star.

Ilia Topuria reacts to Paddy Pimblett vs. Justin Gaethje at UFC 324

Ilia Topuria and Paddy Pimblett have a heated rivalry that goes back to 2022. At that time, Pimblett was more popular and Topuria was just an undefeated fighter. Fast-forward to 2026, both of them are among the popular active fighters on the roster.

Ilia Topuria sends message to Paddy Pimblett and Justin Gaethje after UFC 324 war
Ilia Topuria sends message to Paddy Pimblett and Justin Gaethje after UFC 324 war (Image via Reddit/Standard)

Last year, Pimblett and Topuria had a face-off after the Georgian-Spanish fighter won the lightweight title at UFC 317. Many expected the UFC to book it after viral face-off between the rivals. However, personal life problems forced Topuria to take time off from the UFC. This made Dana White to book Pimblett vs. Gaethje for the interim title at UFC 324 to kickstart the Pararmount+ era of the promotion.

If Pimblett would have won, it would have led to a massive superfight against Topuria. However, Justin Gaethje spoiled the party, and captured the interim title for the second time in his career. The undisputed champion responded shortly after the main event to acknowledge the efforts of both fighters. However, he mocked the UK star and warned the interim champion in a viral tweet.

Little sausage, the only thing you had to do was beat a 38 year old guy. You just lost the biggest paycheck of your life. You were going to get rich if you won. Justin, all I can say is congratulations… and I’d like to tell you to get ready, but you’re screwed no matter what.

Ilia Topuria via X

The superfight against Topuria may not be totally lost for Pimblett. It will not happen in the foreseeable future. A winning streak for ‘The Baddy’ and Topuria defeating Gaethje and Tsarukyan could definitely set up superfight again. However, the UFC has always remained unpredictable, and no such things are guaranteed. It remains to be seen if Topuria and Pimblett get to have their grudge match one day.

Also Read: