What next for Pimblett after statement win?
Paddy Pimblett earned the most significant win of his career with an impressive third-round stoppage of Michael Chandler at UFC 314.Briton Pimblett outclassed the American on the feet and the ground for a victory which will move into the top 10 of the lightweight rankings.UFC commentator Jon Anik welcomed Pimblett "to the elite" after his triumph in Miami, Florida, while the promotion's president Dana White described the 30-year-old as the "real deal".Victory is Pimblett's seventh since joining the UFC in 2021 - the second-longest win streak in the lightweight division after champion Islam Makhachev's 15.Pimblett said in the build-up to the contest that, should he beat Chandler, he would be targeting one more win this year before a title shot in 2026.In his post-fight interview Pimblett mentioned a number of fighters he would be interested in fighting, so here's what could be next.
Charles Oliveira
Charles Oliveira is the fight Pimblett wants the most.The Brazilian is second in the lightweight rankings, a former champion who holds the record for most finishes in the promotion's history with 20.Pimblett sees the bout as an opportunity to prove himself as the better submission artist.Oliveira's 16 submission victories is also a UFC record, while Pimblett has made three of his seven UFC opponents tap out."I want to be a world champion and beating a former champion in Oliveira... he gets called the best submission artist the world has ever seen," said Pimblett."So I'd love to go up against that because I think I've got better submissions than him."
Dustin Poirier
Like Oliveira, Dustin Poirier is a future UFC Hall of Famer, with many regarding him as the best fighter to never win an undisputed title.He beat fellow American Max Holloway for the interim lightweight belt in 2019 but has missed out on the undisputed championship on three occasions.The 36-year-old lost to Khabib Nurmagomedov in 2019, Oliveira in 2021 and Makhachev last year.There has been speculation that Poirier's next fight is likely to be his retirement bout, so the contest could represent a significant occasion for Pimblett.
Justin Gaethje
Like Poirier, Justin Gaethje is another fine athlete who has never made the last step to winning undisputed gold.The 36-year-old American won the interim belt against Tony Ferguson in 2020 but came up short against Nurmagomedov in 2020 and Oliveira in 2022 when attempting to become champion.Alongside Poirier and Oliveria, Pimblett mentioned Gaethje as one of the "legends" in the division he wants to test himself against."These are all names etched in the history of the lightweight division - names people recognise and love - so beating them would be boss," said Pimblett.
Ilia Topuria
Former featherweight champion Ilia Topuria vacated his belt in February to move up to lightweight.The Georgian-Spaniard has history with Pimblett, with the pair clashing backstage at UFC London in 2022.Topuria's rise to the top has been rapid since that altercation, but with Pimblett's win over Chandler and the pair now in the same weight division, a fight is becoming a more realistic prospect.After his win over Chandler, Pimblett opened the door to a potential future meeting."I'd love to welcome him to 155lb but apparently he's sitting out and waiting for a title shot," said Pimblett."I'd forgotten about him, that's how irrelevant he is. What I've just done to Chandler is half the blueprint to beating him."
Arman Tsarukyan
Armenia's Arman Tsarukyan is the final fighter Pimblett mentioned after stopping Chandler.The 28-year-old Armenian is top of the lightweight rankings and was set to fight Makhachev for the title in January, before withdrawing the day before the bout with injury.White has hinted that Tsarukyan will not get an immediate opportunity at a title shot once he has recovered, opening the door to a potential bout with Pimblett.Tsarukyan wrote on X, external last week that Pimblett has had "the easiest path to the top in the UFC" and challenged him to call him out after beating Chandler.Pimblett obliged, calling Tsarukyan a "sausage".
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Scottish Sun
23 minutes ago
- Scottish Sun
QPR to appoint former Champions League manager, 44, who launched Real Madrid star's career after Marti Cifuentes axe
The Frenchman has been out of work since last November POWER RANGER QPR to appoint former Champions League manager, 44, who launched Real Madrid star's career after Marti Cifuentes axe Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) QPR are set to name former Rennes and Strasbourg boss Julien Stephan as the club's new head coach. Rangers placed Marti Cifuentes on gardening leave in April after Sunsport revealed he was close to quitting the club following a breakdown in his relationship with 27-year-old chief executive Christian Nourry. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 2 Julien Stephan is set to be unveiled as the new boss of QPR Credit: AFP or licensors 2 The former Rennes boss has worked with talent such as Eduardo Camavinga (middle) Credit: AFP The decision to stand down Cifuentes came after the Spaniard's representatives made contact with West Brom following Tony Mowbray's sacking last month. West Brom have since appointed Ryan Mason as their new boss. But with no chance of a thawing in relations between Nourry and Cifuentes, Rangers turned their attention to Stephan. The 44-year-old has been keen to work in England since being sacked by Ligue 1 side Rennes last November. Stephan guided Rennes to the knock-out stages of the Europa League for the first time in 2018 where they lost 4-3 to Arsenal. A year later he led the club to victory over PSG in the French Cup final. The Frenchman also spent two seasons with Strasbourg before returning to his former club in 2023. Stephan brought a host of big-name stars through the ranks at Rennes. He was responsible for launching the career of Real Madrid star Eduardo Camavinga, and worked with Barcelona playmaker Raphinha. And he also worked with Serhu Guirassy, Jeremy Doku and Ismaila Sarr. BEST ONLINE CASINOS - TOP SITES IN THE UK Stephan has agreed terms on a two-year deal with the Championship club. QPR have been out of the top flight since relegation from the Premier League in 2015. 'Egg and flour attack sparked training ground wars' | QPR captain Steve Cook plays What the EFL?! They are preparing for their 11th-straight season in the Championship, with just two top-half finishes in that time. Last season they finished 15th, six points clear of the relegation zone but ten behind the playoff places in what was ultimately a disappointing campaign. Cifuente was placed on gardening leave in April, with the club recently releasing a host of players.
Scottish Sun
23 minutes ago
- Scottish Sun
Rare footage re-emerges of 19-year-old Tyson Fury brutally knocking out rival and leaving him in crumpled heap
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) RARE footage of Tyson Fury scoring a brutal knockout in the amateurs has re-emerged. Fury had a 31-4 in the unpaid rank but he turned professional in 2008 after being overlooked for the Olympics in favour of David Price. 6 Footage of Tyson Fury scoring a brutal knockout in the amateurs has re-emerged Credit: YouTube / Eamon Mcauley 6 Fury knocked out American Maurice Byarm Credit: YouTube / Eamon Mcauley But before doing so, the future two-time heavyweight world champion travelled to Philadelphia in 2007 for the Harrowgate Boxing Club. Fury competed for Belfast's Holy Family ABC and boxed in front of just a handful of spectators at the New Alhambra Sports and Entertainment Centre. Those in attendance would not have known they were watching a future star of the sport - but Fury's KO of Maurice Byarm might have been a hint. Fury - only 19 at the time -had the American hurt on the ropes with an uppercut and the follow up right hand ended the bout in the third and final round. READ MORE IN boxing FACED THE USYK Parker reveals Usyk's blunt reaction to face-to-face challenge Byarm himself turned pro in 2009 - two years after the loss to Fury but he failed to make an impact in the paid ranks. He was beaten by Bryant Jennings in 2012 and stopped by Magomed Abdusalamov the same year before leaving the sport. Byarm did return six years later in 2018 to beat Richard Carmack in his comeback fight but it marked his final fight. Fury meanwhile first became champ in 2015 when he stunned Wladimir Klitschko in Germany to win the WBA, IBF and WBO belts. 6 CASINO SPECIAL - BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS But by 2017, he vacated the straps amid a battle with depression and substance abuse. But it paved the way for one of boxing's most remarkable comebacks as Fury returned in 2018 to challenge for the WBC title - controversially drawing to Deontay Wilder. Fury later beat Wilder twice to claim the belt but he eventually lost the gold and his unbeaten record in May to Oleksandr Usyk. Usyk, 38, also won the rematch in December and a month later Fury, 36, announced his retirement from boxing and has so far kept his word. 6 6 LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – FEBRUARY 22: Tyson Fury knocks down Deontay Wilder in the fifth during their Heavyweight bout for Wilder's WBC and Fury's lineal heavyweight title on February 22, 2020 at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by) Credit: Getty
The Independent
37 minutes ago
- The Independent
The European MMA promotion selling out 60,000-seater stadiums before the UFC
Who is watching MMA if it's not the UFC? In mainland Europe, it seems they all are. Dana White 's combat goliath is synonymous with the sport. To the ever-lucrative casual audience, the UFC equals MMA. Such brand dominance can often spell doomsday for competitors, unable to get a foothold in the wider perception. However, one promotion is proving you don't need to be the UFC to blaze the trail in the industry. When Pavol Neruda and Ondrej Novotny founded Oktagon MMA in 2016, they dared to dream big. After all, they had to. Lofty ambitions were a requirement to do what they were seeking to achieve - cultivate mainstream fandom for a sport in a part of the world that previously didn't exist. Starting out in Czechia and Slovakia, the immediate priority was break new ground in the region. Little did they know Oktagon would take MMA, as a global entity, to brand new heights. Fast forward eight years and Oktagon have taken the consumption of MMA to the next level, one that the UFC have yet to touch. They have mastered the art of the stadium show. 'We changed the landscape totally in this area,' Neruda told The Independent. 'How people consume the sport and the perception of the sport. It was an underground sport. Nobody liked it and we were so desperate to change this to how people look at it.' In that pursuit, they have been resoundingly successful, and the events of 12 October 2024 were indicative of that feat. That night, the promotion smashed the UFC's all-time attendance record for a single event. A staggering 60,000 fans packed into Deutsche Bank Arena, the home of Bundesliga side Eintracht Frankfurt, to experience an almighty fighting spectacle. Neruda could hardly believe it, even as the showpiece got underway. 'I rented this colosseum for a few days, how crazy is that? I was waiting for the moment it would hit me, to digest the whole experience. You pray for this moment.' Angst may have consumed him on fight night, but when the dust settled, Oktagon had its place in history. While the UFC may lean on its admittedly dwindling starpower to draw capacity crowds, Oktagon go a different way to get fans of this sheer number through the door. 'It's a lot of entertainment, not just sport,' Neruda asserts, revealing there is far more to Oktagon's events than what goes on inside the cage. You only need to look back to Frankfurt to see a glimpse of this, with British singer-songwriter turned DJ John Newman - of ' Love Me Again' fame - taking to the decks for a wild half-time show. But when it comes to the fighters, Neruda is also acutely aware of the importance of storyline and cinema to attract an audience beyond the hardcore combat fans. There is a WWE-esque 'sports entertainment' aspect to the Oktagon's product, something that gets people in their seats from the first fight. 'That's the difference,' he says. 'Our events are full from the fight number one because people are involved in the stories of the fighters. They want to see them and they have a connection with everyone on the card.' Many of Oktagon's top stars are from mainland Europe. Czech sensation Karlos Vemola has captivated the attention of his homeland and beyond, with his 2019 clash with Attila Vegh - sold domestically as the 'Match of the Century' - and his 2023 rematch with Patrick Kincl breaking viewing records for the promotion. The likes of explosive Belgian featherweight champion Losene Keita and German middleweight titan Kerim Engizek, whose victorious debut ended in a 99-second knockout, are among other major continental draws for the company. The promotion has a penchant for virality, with Frederic Vosgrone, nicknamed 'The German Neanderthal', taking Oktagon by storm after just one fight. Looking like a jacked-up Paddy Pimblett, his chaotic, unforgiving fight style has made him a must-watch attraction, with a clip of the undefeated BJJ black belt getting dragged across the cage while refusing let to go over his opponent's leg doing the rounds on social media. Vosgrone went on to put him to sleep. However, Oktagon haven't been afraid to stray to the British Isles to locate some of its largest personalities. Shem Rock, fighting out of Dublin, is one of the promotion's fast-rising stars - a man with a backstory like no professional fighter on the planet. The Liverpudlian spent seven years on the run in Asia after being wrongly accused of burglary with violence and assault in 2014, fleeing the country at the age of 20 as he feared he'd be jailed for a crime he didn't commit. It was while a fugitive that he started training MMA and discovered his talent. He was eventually arrested upon his move to Ireland, with his burgeoning combat career leading the authorities to him. But in 2022, having spent six months on remand in custody, he was found not guilty by a court and acquitted. Now without a criminal shadow casting over him, Rock has fast established himself as a leading draw both at Oktagon and potentially beyond - with his contract up with the promotion at the end of the summer. 'The fighters from UK and Ireland, they are crazy,' Neruda says, who will be savouring Rock for as long as he's got him. His brash showmanship is what has won him over with the fans, wearing a 'Dana' mouthguard to the cage at Oktagon 71 as he prepares to become one of the hottest free agents on the market. 'Everyone wants to be entertained, right?' It's this entertainment factor that has proved pivotal in Oktagon's ability to sell out these 'colosseums', as Neruda puts it. The promotion is among the forerunners in the western world to hone the stadium extravaganza in MMA, following the path first trod by now-defunct Japanese giant Pride, just over two decades on. They go roofless once again this weekend at Slavia Prague's Fortuna Arena, as Vemola and Vegh clash once more in their crucial trilogy bout. It'll be their third football stadium show in the space of 12 months, something which has fast become their niche. But despite the prospect of being lauded as the company that changed the MMA game should other promotions - namely the UFC - begin to follow suit, Neruda is a businessman at the end of the day. And as such, he wouldn't mind it if Oktagon's niche stays just that, even if such a world is unrealistic. 'I would be happy if it would be just us (doing stadium shows) because it's comfortable,' he admits. 'I'm just being honest. It's nice to be able to grow and fulfil your dreams and whatever you wish to create. I'm always trying to stay two or three steps ahead of others - not sleep and wait until someone else who was maybe inspired by your actions to become better than you. 'I wish for as long as possible to be number one, but I know there will be new promotions somewhere hungry to achieve something big, watching what we are doing and dreaming to do it in their own way, just better. It's kind of good because it makes us push to be better and brings the sport better conditions for fighters, for fans, for everyone. It's exciting, but makes tension. You cannot fall asleep.' As things stand, Oktagon doesn't look close to dropping off. The company has endured a mesmeric rise in the past couple of years especially, with Neruda valuing it at a staggering €250m after closing a broadcasting deal with RTL+, the leading mainstream broadcaster in Germany. Next year will be 10 years since Oktagon's inception. The plan is to keep going bigger, with aspirations of hosting mega-events at Champions League final-calibre venues now no longer a pipedream. 'I can imagine doing it at the Allianz Arena,' Neruda says. 'It's possible, with proper fights and promo, it's not that much of a crazy idea.' In these parts, MMA is underground no more.
