Paddy Pimblett sets out UFC championship 'roadmap' | 'This will put me one fight away'
UFC lightweight star Paddy Pimblett believes two more wins could see him competing for the world title; His next fight comes this weekend at UFC 314 against highly ranked challenger Michael Chandler as Pimblett declares: "I don't think he gets past the second round"
Friday 11 April 2025 10:12, UK
Rising UFC star Paddy Pimblett faces his most dangerous opponent inside the octagon.
Following his first-round submission of King Green last summer, Pimblett is looking for another statement win to enhance his championship ambitions when he fights former title challenger Michael Chandler in Miami this Saturday.
"This is the biggest fight of my life [but] I love fighting, I love putting on a show for everyone and getting my hand raised, and all of those things are going to happen," Pimblett told Sky Sports.
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"He's the name I've wanted my whole career. He's ranked seventh and I'm ranked 12th. I can step up in the rankings and people can stop calling me a prospect and now a title contender."
The Liverpudlian has secured his first five-round co-main event in his seventh UFC bout. With title implications to follow, the pressure is on for Paddy to deliver in a bid to become only the third undisputed UFC champion from Britain.
"I'm not going to lie. I haven't fought anyone of his calibre. But I think he's underestimating me. He thinks it's the same Paddy that fought Jared Gordon that's going to fight him because Jared is his teammate," Pimblett said.
"It's going to pay dividends on Saturday."
With a 6-0 undefeated record in the UFC, Pimblett is looking to extend his winning streak and is convinced he will do so. But "The Baddy" understands the job he has this weekend before moving closer to a potential title opportunity.
"I can't look past who I'm fighting. I'll be honest I've done it before when I fought Jared Gordon, I underestimated and was looking past him, I was thinking this is in the bag. I then got a career-threatening injury in the first round and had to just push through it, and got a razor tight decision," he explained.
"That taught me a valuable lesson - never think you've won before you get in there. I've got to go in there on Saturday night and do the business against Michael Chandler."
Pimblett believes even a winning performance in perfect style won't silence his critics.
"When it's me the goal posts get moved. Before I fought Tony [Ferguson], [the critics thought:] 'He's going to snap his losing streak, he's going to beat Paddy because he's overhyped'. Then I beat him and it's 'Tony is washed,'" Pimblett said.
"[Green] was going to knock me out, and then I smoked him in a round.
"People are now saying the same for Chandler, I've never fought anyone like Chandler, and then once I beat him, it'll change. 'He's 38, 2-4 in the UFC and he's finished.'"
Those doubts may only be dispelled if he becomes a UFC champion.
"It's the only time people will shut up about it," he said. "I'm used to it, it's been happening my whole career."
Chandler had been kept inactive while waiting for a fight with Conor McGregor that didn't materialise.
"I feel sorry for him to be honest, he sat out for that long waiting for Conor McGregor, and the fight never ended up happening. He ended up having to fight Charles Oliveira again for five rounds and got beat up, and now he's got to fight me and get beat up, so it was a bad career choice," Pimblett said.
"He's going to be very explosive for the first half of the round trying to take my head off but I'm just going to keep him long, on the end of my punches and kicks. I think I'll either knock him out as he wades in or we'll end up on the floor and I'll submit him.
"I don't think he gets past the second round."
Pimblett has a "roadmap" that could lead him to a UFC title fight with pound-for-pound number one Islam Makhachev next year.
"This will put me one fight away, beat Michael Chandler and then beat Charles Oliveira, Arman Tsarukyan or Justin Gaethje and I'm next in line for the title. I've got that roadmap there waiting," he said.
Anfield dream
With his hopes of becoming UFC champion edging closer to reality with each win, Pimblett envisions a further goal. He said: "I've always said my dream is to fight at Anfield. They don't like doing stadiums especially in the UK [due to weather].
"I've said to several UFC staff to come to Anfield to watch a game of football and see that it doesn't take away from the atmosphere there.
"I don't dream of fighting anywhere else than Anfield."
