LAS VEGAS – Julian Erosa has no ill will toward former foe Paddy Pimblett.
Erosa (27-9 MMA, 5-5 UFC) lost a close decision to Pimblett for the Cage Warriors featherweight title in 2016. Since then, Erosa worked his way back to the UFC, and Pimblett eventually took the UFC by storm. He has become one of the most popular fighters on the roster.
“He’s doing good, and good for him,” Erosa told reporters, including MMA Junkie, at Wednesday’s UFC 279 media day. “I think he’s a little less active than most, and that’s his own prerogative.”
The fight with Pimblett left a bitter taste in Erosa’s mouth, but not because he lost. Erosa is skeptical that Pimblett made weight, and Pimblett himself has admitted the weight cut “killed him,” resulting in him throwing up during his in-cage post-fight interview.
“I don’t have any kind of resentment or anything toward Paddy himself,” Erosa added. “When I fought Paddy, I was a bit more upset with the whole situation of, his manager (Graham Boylan) was also the promoter of the show. I didn’t even actually see him officially make weight.
“He was over a couple of pounds and then he said he was going to go cut the weight and come back and make it, and I ended up leaving because it had been an hour and a half and I wanted to go eat. So I didn’t even see him make weight. Just small things like that that kind of got to me. But if I was in his shoes, I’d probably be doing the same thing. I would take advantage of everything that he was taking advantage of when I fought him.”
Erosa returns to action in Saturday’s UFC 279 featured prelim when he faces Hakeem Dawodu (13-2-1 MMA, 6-2 UFC) at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPNEWS and early prelims on ESPN+.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 279.
