Paddy Pimblett took a beating against Justin Gaethje. |
Getty/UFC
While Paddy
Pimblett displayed heart by going toe-to-toe against Justin
Gaethje in the UFC 324
headliner, it wasn’t exactly the best tactical approach.
The end result was a unanimous decision defeat, as Gaethje battered
“The Baddy” on the feet for the better part of five rounds to claim
the interim lightweight crown. Pimblett might have been better
served trying to make Gaethje grapple, but he wanted to prove a
point against one of the sport’s top all-action competitors. As a
result, it’s Gaethje who gets a chance to unify the lightweight
title when he faces Ilia
Topuria in the
UFC White House main event on June 14.
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“To be honest, with the last fight, I think it was a little bit of
me ego got in the way,” Pimblett said on his YouTube channel. “I
wanted to knock him out. I wanted to strike with him and show
everyone I can strike. I wanted a war. When you’re trying to take
him down in the fifth round after he bludgeoned you at the end of
the second, it’s quite hard. Back to fight IQ. Back to the game
plan and not just swinging recklessly.”
Comfort in the Chaos
Pimblett has recovered from the battle against Gaethje and appears
to be on the verge of making his Octagon return. Though nothing has
been officially confirmed, the Englishman has hinted that he will
face Benoit St.
Denis in his next outing. Looking back, Pimblett believes
things might have gone a little too smoothly during his camp for
Gaethje — something he hopes to change this time around.
“I had a perfect camp for the last fight, and that never went
perfect in the cage, did it?” Pimblett said. “So, I think getting
back to having a little bit of a mad, disruptive fight camp, when I
had me best fights. Bobby Green
and Michael
Chandler, both fight camps weren’t perfect, but everything
ended up perfect when I got in the Octagon.
“So, hopefully this is the same. I’ve got to show everyone why I
deserved to get that title shot. Show everyone that I’m going to be
getting another one in the near future.