It’s time to take Paddy Pimblett seriously as a legitimate top-tier lightweight. That’s what UFC CEO Dana White thinks.
Pimblett (22-3 MMA, 6-0 UFC) delivered big in the biggest spot of his career Saturday at UFC 304 when he choked King Green unconscious in highlight-reel fashion in front of a raucous crowd at Co-op Live in Manchester, England. It was the first fight on Pimblett’s new contract, and he received an extra $200,000 in Performance of the Night bonus money for his efforts.
The emphatic result sent Pimblett’s stock soaring and led to him declaring himself as a top 15 lightweight with sights on Renato Moicano, win or lose in his UFC Paris matchup with Benoit Saint Denis on Sept. 28. Pimblett also used the moment to bash those who said he would never achieve such heights in his career, and White said he deserves to do exactly that.
