Paddy Pimblett has been called out by UFC veteran Michael Johnson for a showdown at the latest instalment of UFC London next year.
The Liverpudlian made his fourth appearance in the promotion at UFC 282 at the weekend when he narrowly outpointed Jared Gordon at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. It was a tough night for Pimblett, who edged the win on the scorecards to the bewildered of many, including his rival, who suggested he had been "robbed" by the judges.
Calls have been made for Pimblett to step up his opposition further and continue his quick-time rise to the top of the roster, after drawing comparisons with Irishman Conor McGregor. Long-serving UFC star Johnson believes he can step up to the plate, writing on Twitter : "Me & @UFCpaddy @UFC London in March. Co-main event."
Such a fight would represent a significant step up for Pimblett, particularly given his potential new rival's experience in the cage over a 12-year spell with the promotion. During his time in the UFC, Johnson has touched gloves with some of the sport's leading fighters, including former undefeated champion Khabib Nurmagomedov, Nate Diaz and Dustin Poirier.
Johnson bounced back from defeat to return to winning ways with a win over Marc Diakiese at the weekend after losing to Jamie Mullarkey earlier in the year. Should Pimblett accept the call, it would be a third appearance in the British capital, where he has had so much success, with two wins on home soil this year.
Pimblett was less convincing in his recent win over Gordon in Sin City, where statistics showed he struggled on the ground with Gordon, who had six minutes of control during the fight. He also landed less overall strikes in the fight and less takedowns, which saw many fans stunned by the decision of the judges to raise his hand.
Who wins if the pair meet - Paddy Pimblett or Michael Johnson? Let us know in the comments section below.
It is unclear if Pimblett intends to match-up with anyone further up the rankings just yet as he plans a cautious route to world glory. He is in no rush to get his hands on the title and 'Paddy the Baddy' has insisted he could only challenge for a belt in four years, urging fans to take caution with his career.
"I'm in no rush," PImblett explained during a recent episode of Pub Talk. "People want me to start fighting people like Michael Chandler and Dustin Poirier now. Do you not know how this sport works? You have to climb the rankings before you start fighting the top five.
"I'm going to be champ in about 2025, 2026, I'm in no rush. I'm going to climb my way up the ladder and earn a lot of money while I do so. It's prize-fighting. People say, 'oh you should be fighting the best', I want to provide enough money for my fiancee, my unborn children and the rest of my family for the rest of my life. That's what I'm going to do."
