Paddy Pimblett has admitted that criticism from former fighters like Nate Diaz as well as commentator Joe Rogan caused him to re-evaluate his performance against Jared Gordon.
The Scouse fighter was slated across the sport after barely beating Gordon in his fourth UFC outing in Las Vegas back in December. Many fans believed that he had lost the fight despite all three judges feeling that he had done enough to get the victory at the T-Mobile Arena and continue his winning streak in the promotion.
Among his critics was Diaz, who first tweeted that Pimblett was "fighting a 145lber" and added: "Bruh? You lost that fight." He was echoed by Rogan, who seemed shocked at the result and later theorised that the Brit had won because of his popularity.
"I don't care what most armchairs say," Pimblett told MMA Junkie. "That doesn't bother me. When former pros or pros like Nate Diaz are saying I didn't win, and Joe Rogan is saying I didn't win, that's when you think, 'F***ing hell.' But people who sit on their armchair and comment on my YouTube and Instagram, I don't care about. It's the actual pros who thought I lost.
"But I was with Chuck Liddell last week and he was saying, 'I don't know what people are talking about, a robbery'. He was saying it was a close fight, but it's not a robbery. What he even said to me was, 'why did they give him a takedown in the first round, you pulled guard?' I was like, 'I know, I pulled guard, he didn't do nothing and I split his head open with an elbow'.
"But I didn't finish him, so everyone's against me. I [have] seen people giving me stick after it for saying I won; what do you want me to do? Say, 'I think I lost there'? I do think I won. I've watched the fight back and I don't think it was as dominant as I thought it was straight after."
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Gordon landed left hooks at will on Pimblett, whose boxing has been heavily criticised throughout his time rising through the UFC's ranks. He has been tagged with big shots before in his Octagon career, but argues that he wasn't taking much damage despite the accuracy of Gordon's blows.
"Them little left hooks he's hitting me with don't affect me," Pimblett insisted. "I thought he hit me with two of them, when I watch it back he hit me with a lot more. But I'm the one pushing the pace, I'm the aggressor, I'm coming forward and putting it on him first two rounds, I'm the one stepping forward with aggression and damage. He was the one with all cuts and bruises all over him.
"I didn't have a mark on my face except a little thing on my cheek and then my foot [on which he will soon undergo surgery]. No one has mentioned that either. I got injured in the first round and still fought three rounds. [It is] the first UFC fight that's gone to decision, so at least I know I can do the three rounds easy."
