Paddy Pimblett has stated that he wants a pay increase before fighting tougher opponents in the UFC.
The Liverpool fighter is gearing up for his second fight since joining the industry, when he'll take on Rodrigo 'Kazula' Vargas at UFC London.
Pimblett will feature on the main card, in what will be a highly anticipated return to the octagon.
It's been six months since he last fought, with many expecting the 27-year-old to come up against a tougher opponent such as Jared Gordon or Donald 'Cowboy' Cerrone.
But neither potential fights were discussed with Vargas being the first opponent who was offered to Pimblett.
Speaking on the UFC podcast, he said: "I would have happily fought Jared Gordon. But at the same time, I looked at it, and he’s had nine UFC fights.
"How much money do you think he’s getting? He’s getting a lot more than me, so thinking about it that way, I’m glad I never ended up fighting Jared Gordon.
"Because I want a better and bigger contract before I fight people like that.”
Pimblett has gone on to become a legitimate star within the company having stepped into the UFC octagon on just one occasion.
That's how much his personality has resonated with people after his impressive knockout against Luigi Vendramini in September.
Paddy 'the Baddy' been known in the Mixed Martial Arts world for a few years now, but became a mainstream name last year when he joined the UFC.
The company had earlier looked to sign Pimblett on two other occasions but he turned them down. Last year, he made the decision to join and hasn't looked back since.
He's looking for a long, successful career within the industry, and is in no rush, working his way up the ranks and earning his eventual shot at titles in a stacked division featuring Charles Oliveira, Dustin Poirier, Justin Gaethje and Conor McGregor.
