Michael Chandler admits he's a fan of UFC rival Paddy Pimblett: 'He's one of the good

UFC lightweight contender Michael Chandler is assessing his options ahead of his next fight, and sees a bout with England's Paddy "The Baddy" Pimblett as an ideal matchup for his next Octagon appearance.

Chandler is looking to make another run towards a title shot at 155 pounds and, after losing out to former champion Charles Oliveira at UFC 309 last November, he sees a bout with Pimblett as an option that can get him back on track while engaging in a fun, fan-friendly fight.

Speaking to Instant Casino, Chandler said, “I like the idea of fighting Paddy Pimblett and making a ton of money, and it being – I don't want to say easy fight because I could go out there and slip on a banana peel and get knocked out in front of everybody – but let's just say I like the fight stylistically."

Pimblett is one of the biggest stars to come out of the UK, and has steadily moved his way up the lightweight ladder since his arrival in the UFC in 2021.

The Liverpudlian lightweight is a former Cage Warriors featherweight champion, with a career record of 22 wins, three losses. He's been perfect inside the Octagon so far, winning all six of his UFC bouts to date, and his most recent outing saw him claim his biggest win yet as he became the first fighter to submit lightweight veteran King Green at UFC 304.

It's a win that has elevated Pimblett to a spot in the UFC's official lightweight rankings. And with "The Baddy" ranked 12th and Chandler seventh, a matchup between the pair would seem to make sense, even though Chandler admits the bout holds a bigger potential downside for him than for his potential opponent.

“I'm taking a risk because he's a guy who's ranked behind me," he explained.

"He gets an opportunity to break into the top ten to fight me, who's easily head and shoulders the biggest test that he has ever fought.

"You can't really compare me to (Pimblett's past victims) Bobby Green, Tony Ferguson, Jared Gordon and before that Jordan Levitt.

"He hasn't stepped up into that top ten yet, and I think it'd be a big test for him, and a little bit of a – I’m not going to say an easy fight – but if you compare him to Oliveira, (Justin) Gaethje, (Dustin) Poirier, (Dan) Hooker....

"It'd be a fun fight, and I've got a ton of respect for Paddy, so I do like the fight. I think it's becoming more and more intriguing, so we'll see what the UFC brass says."

It's a matchup that, if made, would capture the imagination of fight fans, especially if it took place during UFC International Fight Week, the weeklong jamboree of all things combat sport that takes place in Las Vegas every summer.

The bout would also offer something a little different, with Chandler admitting that he's actually a big fan of Pimblett – both as a fighter and as a person.

"I like Paddy as a human," he said.

"I think he's one of the good ones. And with that being said that does not stop me from wanting to separate him from consciousness.

“I don't have to hate somebody to want to go knock their teeth down their throat. He's the same, so it's a big fight.

"It'd be a fun fight. If his timeline is international Fight Week, that could work out.”

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Michael Chandler admits he's a fan of potential UFC opponent Paddy Pimblett: 'He's one of the good ones'

By Simon Head | Jan 29, 2025