Scottish MMA star Stevie Ray believes that he would be able to beat Paddy Pimblett in a massive cross-promotional domestic fight.
The Fife native submitted jiu-jitsu ace Pimblett in a 2019 grappling contest, and expects that lightning would strike twice if the pair were able to get a deal done for a full MMA rematch. It would be an unlikely bout to make given that Ray is signed with PFL and Pimblett is in the UFC, but he has allowed himself to think about the possibility.
Back in 2019, between his last two UFC outings, Ray beat Pimblett at a Polaris event in Manchester with a heel hook, but just two months later would begin a three-year period out of MMA action including a brief retirement before returning for this season's tournament.
Meanwhile, Pimblett continued to build his name in Cage Warriors before moving into the UFC, where he has become a massive star and gone undefeated in his three fights during his freshman year. But Ray believes that he would have the necessary skills to get another victory over the Scouser.
"There's definitely some holes to his game just like very fighter," Ray explained ahead of his rematch with Anthony Pettis in the PFL play-offs in New York. "But the hype is real, he talks the talk and he's been backing it up.
"He's 3-0, I went 3-0 in the UFC as well [in his first three fights], but I beat him in a grappling competition, not quite MMA but we're the same weight. I'm probably being biased but I believe that I could beat him whether it's on the feet or on the ground in a MMA fight as well.
"Fair play to him, he's been doing well, backing it up and he's got that polarising kind of personality. You're wanting to watch him whether you want to see him get knocked out or get the knockout so he's doing the right stuff, fair play."
Who do you think would win in a Battle of Britain between Paddy Pimblett and Stevie Ray? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below!
Ray would need to leave his new PFL contract, or somehow entice Pimblett out of his lucrative new UFC deal, in order to make the fight happen, which is a wild improbability. However, he's refusing to rule the possibility of a massive Battle of Britain between the two former Cage Warriors champions out as he moves forward in his career.
"He's in the UFC, I'm not fighting with PFL so it's quite a hard one," he continued. "But never say never, I'm in my prime, I'm healthy and the reason I left the UFC was due to injury and if I got offered a fight with Paddy in PFL or UFC or whatever and I was getting paid well I'd be up for it.
"I went 3-0 in the UFC as well, got a knockout in Scotland as my second fight and got KO of the night and then went 3-0 in Ireland. I left with a 7-4 record on the biggest win of my career at the time, a win over Michael Johnson but it was just unfortunate what happened there."
Stevie Ray fights Anthony Pettis in the main event of the PFL lightweight play-offs on Friday night. The event will be shown live on Channel 4 from midnight.
