'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Dana White seemingly agrees with Paddy Pimblett in regards to the UK MMA superstar’s plans for getting bigger fights next. Pimblett secured a spectacular second-round submission win over Jordan Leavitt at UFC London on Saturday, July 23.
The Liverpudlian impressed several MMA experts with his submission of a crafty grappler in Leavitt. ‘The Baddy’ also endeared himself to the numerous fans in attendance at the O2 Arena in London with his post-fight celebration and heartwarming octagon interview.
In the latest edition of the My Mom’s Basement podcast with Robbie Fox, UFC president Dana White addressed Pimblett’s meteoric rise. In response to Fox indicating that Pimblett is one of the fastest-rising stars in UFC history, White concurred and compared ‘The Baddy’ to UFC icon Conor McGregor. White stated:
“There is no doubt about it. I mean, I wasn’t in the arena on Saturday night; you were. That was some Conor McGregor s**t.”
Furthermore, Fox suggested that despite Pimblett’s fight not being the headlining or co-headlining matchup at UFC London, his entrance and everything else felt akin to a high-profile main-event matchup. Fox recalled that Pimblett subsequently demanded that his next octagon outing ought to be in the US in a bigger arena. When asked if he agrees with Pimblett, White said:
“He’s not wrong. He’s absolutely right.”
Watch White discuss the topic at 3:28 in the video below:
Paddy Pimblett believes his unique appearance will help him become “bigger” than Conor McGregor
Paddy Pimblett made his UFC debut last year and is 3-0 in the organization thus far. Even though it’s unclear who he’ll be fighting next, there have been calls for the UFC to book Pimblett to compete at UFC 281, an event expected to take place at the iconic Madison Square Garden in New York on November 12.
Given Paddy Pimblett’s immense popularity, many have drawn parallels between him and MMA's biggest star Conor McGregor. Pimblett feels he’ll become a bigger star than former UFC featherweight and lightweight champion McGregor.
Speaking to The Guardian earlier this year, the 27-year-old Paddy Pimblett opined that his peculiar look, including his floppy hairstyle, makes him more relatable than the 34-year-old Irish combat sports legend Conor McGregor. Pimblett said:
"Yeah. I see myself being bigger than that because the sport has evolved even more than when Conor made it mainstream. He had twenty-something lads following him where I’m getting kids from the age of five. Kids look at McGregor and see a big, hard fella with loads of tattoos. Kids have got long, floppy hair, they haven’t got tattoos. They can identify with me."
Here's Pimblett with talented bantamweight Sean O'Malley:
