Liverpool UFC star Paddy Pimblett insisted that he "won easily" against Jared Gordon in his co-main event at UFC 282 in Las Vegas, but not everyone was in agreement.
The popular fighter was awarded a unanimous points victory by judges that secured his third victory of the year and continued his rapid rise in the sport.
The 27-year-old from Huyton suffered an foot injury in the first round but when asked about the fight post-bout he was adamant that it had been a comfortable win against against an opponent seven years his senior.
READ MORE: Paddy Pimblett earns points win over Jared Gordon in UFC 282
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Pimblett said: "I won the first two rounds and then coasted in the third. I knew I was two rounds up so I didn't want to do anything dangerous and risk losing the fight. I knew for a fact that I won the first two rounds pretty easily."
Despite claiming to have secured an easy victory, the Liverpool FC fan paid tribute to his American opponent Gordon. Pimblett said: "Jared is one tougher mother f***er, the trials and tribulations he's had in his life and he's come back. Hats off to Jared. Something I want to now with Jared - I've started my own foundation, I want to help some of the charities that he works with, with my foundation. Now we've fought in here I want to work together outside the cage."
When asked about what was next in the octogen for Paddy the Baddy, he said: "We'll see. I'm not going to lie, I've hurt my right foot in that first round there. My right foot's in a bit of pain. I'm going to have to get that x-rayed, but was that fight of the night or what? Who's a hype train? Who's the f***ing hype train?"
Pimblett's assessment of the headline bout was not shared by everyone, including his opponent. After the fight, Jared Gordon tweeted: "I was robbed everyone knows it I… I can cry about it but I been back from worst and god's plan is the best plan so I know there’s something big to come from it."
Undefeated UFC fighter Ilia Topuria also weighed in on the fight result, claiming that Gordon should have been given the verdict. Appearing in the media room after his own victory, he said: "They gave him [Pimblett] a Christmas gift, because he clearly lost the fight. I don't think anyone would disagree with me in this room. Jared 'won' all three rounds. He didn't win any rounds. Anyway, he [Pimblett] is not in my way."
UFC users of Twitter appear to side with the assessment of Gordon and Topuria on social media.
Fighter Derek Brunson said: "The refs on that discord chat . They know damn well my boy Paddy didn’t win that."
Cole Shelton Tweeted: "I HATE using the word robbery but I don’t think Paddy won a single round there, I am shocked by that decision."
UFC welterweight Belal Muhammad added: "I’m literally speechless right now - HOW!?!? The judges couldn’t even figure out what Rounds paddy won they just guessed."
