Paddy Pimblett might have stolen the show at UFC 314.
“The Baddy” entered his bout with longtime lightweight contender Michael Chandler as the favorite, but few could have predicted the one-sided beatdown he would put on the former Bellator champion. In less than three rounds, Pimblett beat Chandler on the feet and showed off his prodigious grappling as he brutalized Chandler on the ground.
Rather than cruise to a decision, Pimblett turned up the heat in the third round of their five-round co-main event and snagged a knockout victory.
Pimblett made the most of his mic time afterwards, calling out several top lightweights including Dustin Poirier, Justin Gaethje, and Charles Oliveira, making it clear he plans to climb over one of those names to earn a UFC lightweight title shot.
UFC welterweight champion Belal Muhammad respects Pimblett’s moxie, tweeting, “Islam [Makhachev] has a new contender.”
