UFC lightweight Paddy Pimblett has stolen Conor McGregor's infamous "red panty night" catchphrase as he heads into his pay-per-view debut.
The Scouse fighter is currently preparing to face Jared Gordon on Saturday night in the co-main event of UFC 282 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. And he believes that other fighters around his weight are desperate to fight him, claiming that he is similarly in-demand with the lower-ranked lightweights to how McGregor is and was at his peak.
McGregor is currently out injured, but is still frequently called out for fights by top contenders at lightweight, welterweight and even featherweight. And Pimblett feels their situations are similar, telling ESPN MMA that he is viewed as a "red panty night" by other fighters in the division.
"I've heard a lot of people talking about it," Pimblett said of a possible fight between he and McGregor. "I respect Conor, he's done so much for this sport but he's the fight that everyone wants. Just like every other lightweight wants to fight me now, everyone's talking about me.
"In Conor's words 'I am red panty night' for all these bums. Half these lightweights must have posters of me on their wall because they don't shut up about me. It's embarrassing, some of them don't stop going on about me on social media, it's like 'lad, go and do something with your life, stop talking about me to get some publicity'."
The famous line was initially uttered by McGregor during the UFC's 'Go Big' launch press conference for a slate of fights in 2015, including his UFC 194 bout with Jose Aldo. Also on stage were superstars such as Ronda Rousey, as well as then-lightweight champion Rafael Dos Anjos.
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McGregor noted that Dos Anjos would give up his upcoming bout with Donald Cerrone if the UFC offered him a short-notice bout with the Irishman instead. At the time, McGregor was a former Cage Warriors lightweight champion, but hadn't fought at 155lb under the UFC banner, while Dos Anjos had just dethroned Anthony Pettis for the belt.
He said: "I change your bum life, I can make you rich. You fight me it's a celebration, you ring back home to your wife and say 'baby we done it, we're rich baby, Conor McGregor made us rich, break out the red panties, we're rich baby'. Don't say you would not take that fight because you would take that fight just like everyone else up here would take the fight if it was offered.
"Regardless of belts or any of that s***. I'm the money fight in the male s*** at all weight divisions, so f*** everybody else up here. It's red panty night when you sign to fight me, yeah? Back at home with your wife it's a celebration. People are always saying that I talk and I talk and I talk but guess f***ing what? I back it up!"
