Paddy ‘The Baddy’ Pimblett is set to fight Jared ‘Flash’ Gordon at UFC 282 on December 10 in Las Vegas.
And while the UFC have confirmed they will be returning to London on March 19, any trip back to the UK may not include Pimblett.
Speaking to the ECHO ahead of the clash with Gordon at the T-Mobile Arena, Pimblett confirmed that he's unlikely to fight on home soil.
He said: “I don’t think I’ll fight in the UK for a long time, I’m on pay per views from now on. Once the numbers from this pay per view come back, because I am the pay per view, we will see. But I doubt they’ll ever want me to fight on a UK card again.
“People are asking me if I’m going to fight in London, in March, in the O2. And I don’t know, I haven’t got a clue.
"Because you don’t know what happens in each fight, I could break my hand or break my foot or break my nose. But I am going to Thailand in January, so I might not fight on that.”
Since joining the UFC in March 2021, the lightweight has reached superstar status, despite only having three fights for the company.
He said: “I was the people’s main event anyway lad. It doesn’t matter where I am on the card, half the arena will probably empty out after I fight, like it does in the O2.
"No one matches my star power; I’ve had three fights and I’m the biggest star in the company already. Imagine it after I blow the roof off the T mobile.”
Although the Liverpool supporter has rose to the top quickly in the eyes of the fans, he always felt it was his destiny to be a huge star in the UFC.
He said: “I’ve always known this was going to happen, I’ve always said watch when I get in the UFC everyone will know. I’m not just a draw for Liverpool. I’m a draw for the UK and for Europe. No one is talking about the main event, no one is talking about the title fight. Because I am the main man.”
With just two weeks to go until the fight, Pimblett believes he's in perfect condition to put on a performance on American soil.
And he warned Gordon that it could be a quick night's work for him when the Octagon door shuts. They both have 19 career wins and Gordon has displayed impressive wrestling in previous bouts. But 'the Baddy' is in confident mood.
He said: “I’ve never felt this sharp going into a fight to be honest. My weight is perfect; I’ve peaked at the perfect time and I’m going to go in there and do damage.”
“I expect him to just come out and try and push me against the cage and hold me. But it’s not going to happen, I’m going to knock him out or submit him in the first round.
“I probably won’t even get a number next to my name after this lad, I’m not going to get ahead of myself. Jared Gordon is good; he’s won four of his last five. But he got beat by Grant Dawson two fights ago, so I can’t get a ranking from this, it’s as simple as that.
“I’m not one of those that gets ahead of themselves, thinking I deserve a ranking. There are a few helmets in the UK at the minute. They fight a few weights below me, and are calling out rank six, and rank two, when he’s dog****. He just holds people on the floor and doesn’t punch them.
“I’m taking my time; I’ll keep climbing up the ladder and getting paid as I do it. I’m not one of these sausages that are like ‘I’ll fight rank two now’ No, I’m going to get paid rank two money when I fight rank two.”
