Paddy Pimblett has brutally dismissed Dana White's offer to fight in New York at UC 281.
Pimblett recently recorded his latest UFC victory when he submitted Jordan Leavitt at the promotion's event in London last month. His profile has seen a dramatic rise since the beginning of his UFC career, and it is expected he will soon progress to become the latest pay-per-view star.
UFC president White claimed after his latest victory that he would like to take the rising star on a US tour which could see him fight in Boston or New York next. “I think what we do next is we take him to either Boston or New York and he ends up on pay-per-view and then you bring him to Vegas," he said.
"To talk about championship stuff now it’s a little too soon, but he’s got that Conor McGregor vibe. When he walks, when he’s in the arena, the way that the fans receive him, the way that the media covers him. The way that the people who search for content.”
Pimblett has now issued a response to White's comments, when he told reporters: " No I am not fighting in New York. End of. I am not fighting in New York. I am not getting robbed by the taxman." Pimblett previously stated he would not be willing to fight in New York when his teammate Molly McCann suggested after her victory that she may fight in The Big Apple.
This is largely due to the tax rate in the state with the likes of Las Vegas preferred which is widely considered the fighting capital of the world. Pimblett's debut took place in Sin City last September where he defeated Luigi Vendramini, which was moved stateside after the coronavirus pandemic caused havoc to sporting events in the UK again.
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His last two fights have taken place in London with Pimblett now claiming he will not return to the capital, or even the UK until a fight is agreed in his home city Liverpool at their football stadium Anfield. Inevitably since his rise has began, Pimblett has been linked with a whole host of high-profile fights including against Conor McGregor despite being yet to face a contender in the top fifteen at 155lb.
He has drawn comparison to McGregor's early rise since beginning his own career, and the Irishman has even suggested he is open to a fight. However his teammate McCann has suggested that he will prioritise a quest for a UFC title over any lucrative mega-fights. “Not anytime soon,” McCann replied during an appearance on talkSPORT.
“I think when Conor’s on the decline and Paddy’s at his highest height, that’s when it makes sense probably to make that fight for the pair of them. But, Paddy’s not after super fights, Paddy’s after bringing the belts home and Paddy’s after spreading a message and changing the world one fight at a time.”
