Michael Bisping says there’s more pressure on Michael Chandler than Paddy Pimblett at UFC 314.
Chandler (23-9 MMA, 2-4 UFC) takes on Pimblett (22-3 MMA, 6-0 UFC) in Saturday’s five-round co-headliner (pay-per-view, ESPN, ESPN+) at Kaseya Center in Miami.
Chandler hasn’t won a fight since knocking out the skidding Tony Ferguson in May 2022. Bisping sees the Pimblett fight as a must-win scenario for the former UFC title challenger.
“Put up or shut up, mainly for Michael Chandler,” Bisping said on his YouTube channel. “Michael Chandler has spoken about being champ. Of course, he’s thrilled audiences, he’s provided excitement, he’s fought nothing but the best of the best in the division, gone up against the likes of Dustin Poirier, Charles Oliveira, Justin Gaethje. He’s had really fun fights. However, he’s been losing. He has lost four out of six fights (in the UFC). He’s lost four of his last five. So now, he needs a win.”
As for Pimblett, Bisping thinks a loss wouldn’t set him back that much, whereas a win would result in big implications.
“Paddy Pimblett, it’s not necessarily put up or shut up for him,” Bisping added. “If he loses to Michael Chandler, he’s still a young guy. It would be his first loss in the UFC. It’s not the end of the world. It’ll be a bump in the road.
“He’ll have to regroup, he’ll have to rebound, he’ll have to start the win streak again. But if he gets the job done against Michael Chandler, and he just might do that, if he can do that, I’m telling you, Paddy Pimblett is probably one fight away from fighting for a belt.”
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 314.
