Paddy Pimblett has his sights firmly set on the top of the UFC lightweight division after his stunning victory over Michael Chandler.
‘Paddy the Baddy’ was in ferocious form to totally dismantle the former Bellator world champion in Saturday night’s huge co-main event at UFC 314 in Miami, dominating Chandler, who was busted open and bleeding badly before the referee waved off a one-sided fight in the third round.
It was a significant career-best win for Pimblett as he passed what was supposed to be comfortably his toughest test in MMA to date against a top-level opponent with flying colours, winning a ninth fight in a row and maintaining his unbeaten UFC record with a seventh consecutive triumph inside the octagon.
It took him from 12th firmly inside the top 10 of the UFC lightweight rankings, with the Liverpool native now demanding to take on one of the top names at 155lbs before what he hopes will be a world title shot against reigning champion and UFC men’s pound-for-pound king Islam Makhachev.
Pimblett called out each of former champion Charles Oliveira, Dustin Poirier, No1 contender Arman Tsarukyan and Justin Gaethje following his brutal dismissal of Chandler, with Gaethje in attendance at Kaseya Center on Saturday night to witness his performance up close.
"Anyone in the top four, top five," Pimblett told Joe Rogan inside the octagon after beating Chandler when asked who he wanted to fight next. "I want that world title.
“[People said] I'll never be champ, I'll never get ranked. I'll never be in the top 10. But what now? I won. Dustin, Justin, Charles, or Arman. Any of them.
“I respect Dustin, Justin and Charles. Charles is the biggest legend out of them all. He gets called the best submitting artist the UFC has ever seen. Well I dispute that, I’m here. So me versus Charles.”
