Paddy Pimblett made a significant stride towards a UFC title opportunity by defeating Michael Chandler in Miami.
The Liverpool native, Pimblett, controlled the bout against the American, setting a high tempo and landing powerful strikes on Chandler.
He ultimately stopped Chandler at 3:07 of the third round, preserving his perfect record in the UFC.
More effective from the beginning, Pimblett utilized his striking skills, while Chandler attempted to grapple.
He maintained control, landing a knee strike in the third round which initiated Chandler`s downfall.
Following the fight, Pimblett stated, “I proved my point. I told everyone I`d do exactly this, and what happened? Everyone claimed I couldn`t handle him striking, but who was attempting takedowns? It was him, trying to wrestle me because I was dominating him on the feet.”
He added, “I am the new era, he represents the old. I`m the newcomer, and I`m targeting the top five fighters and this championship belt. Laugh all you want; people have doubted me my entire life, thinking I wouldn`t achieve anything, but I consistently prove them wrong at every turn.”
“Everyone underestimates me before every bout,” Pimblett commented. “No one acknowledges my worth. It`s quite frustrating.”
Pimblett believes another victory will position him for a shot at the UFC lightweight championship.
“I desire that world title,” he stated. “Some claim I`ll never be champion, never have success, never reach the top 10. What do they say now?”
With Michael Chandler soon turning 39, the defeat to Pimblett might prompt him to consider retirement.
In the main event of UFC 314, Alexander Volkanovski regained the featherweight title with a unanimous decision victory over Diego Lopes.
The judges scored the bout 49-46 twice, and 48-47 once.
Volkanovski had defended his belt successfully on four occasions before his loss to Islam Makhachev in 2023.
Regarding his next opponent, Pimblett expressed interest in facing Charles Oliveira as a stepping stone towards a world title opportunity. He stated, “I hope so. I want to be a world champion. I`ve always declared that I will become a world champion, and defeating a former champion like Charles Oliveira, who defended his title twice and is considered the best submission artist in UFC history, would be ideal. I`d love to compete against him because I believe my submissions are superior to Charles Oliveira`s.”
