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Fan favorite rising star Paddy Pimblett's clash with Jared Gordon will mark his UFC pay-per-view debut. Gordon, a longtime veteran of the lightweight and featherweight divisions, is coming into the bout off the back of a respectable unanimous decision win over Leonard Santos at UFC 278.
Pimblett, meanwhile, is undefeated in the UFC thus far and most recently defeated Jordan Leavitt via submission back in July. Despite his budding popularity, the UFC appear to be hesitant to throw him into the deep end of the lightweight division just yet. The unranked Gordon is a respectable challenge but, at 7-4 in the octagon, is hardly unbeatable to a dynamic grappler like Pimblett. Should Gordon win, it would elevate his stock immensely.
Paddy Pimblett vs. Jared Gordon Fight Details
Date & Time: Saturday, December 10, 10:30p.m. EST (approx)
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Venue: T-Mobile Arena, Paradise, Nevada
Paddy Pimblett vs. Jared Gordon Betting Odds
Paddy Pimblett vs. Jared Gordon Tale of the Tape
'The Baddy' boasts a minor height advantage and a significant reach advantage over Gordon. Both fighters tend to use an orthodox stance in the octagon. They also both share the same number of professional MMA wins at 19.
Pimblett tends to rely heavily on his Brazilian jiu-jitsu and submission grappling capabilities. On the feet, he's a dangerous but reckless striker which has led to his chin being tested more than once over the years. Gordon, meanwhile, relies predominantly on his striking and employs both boxing and Muay Thai in the cage.
Paddy Pimblett vs. Jared Gordon Prediction
The UFC appears to be high on Pimblett's fast-growing star power and explosive, entertaining fighting style. The Scouser is considered a major prospect should he be able to maintain his winning ways moving forward and eventually move up the lightweight rankings.
He's often displayed exceptional grappling and submission skills in the cage, but is a dangerous, borderline self-destructive brawler on the feet. While his chin is durable, he has a bad habit of leaving himself open to potentially night-ending strikes. Some have also called into question his health owing to his extreme weight gain and subsequent cuts leading up to fights.
Gordon, meanwhile, is a tough but ultimately unspectacular veteran with few big name victories on his record. He can be knocked out and, against a dangerous jiu-jitsu ace like Pimblett, could be in major trouble if this fight goes to the ground. Pimblett continuing his unbeaten octagon run seems like the likeliest course of action here.
Prediction: Pimblett via submission
