Paddy Pimblett sees himself replacing Conor McGregor after UFC 329

Paddy Pimblett wants Conor McGregor's spot as the face of the UFC.

McGregor's comeback from a five-year layoff ended after just 69 seconds Saturday when he suffered a leg injury against Max Holloway at UFC 329. The soon-to-be 38-year-old former two-division champion never got started, collapsing after an early kick attempt. The UFC posted footage of Pimblett watching the finish live, and the Liverpool lightweight was blunt about his own ambitions. "McGregor's done already? Well, he's finished, the new boy is in town," Pimblett said, per MMA Fighting. "I can become the face of the organization now."

Pimblett shifts tone at post-fight presser

Asked about McGregor during the evening's post-fight press conference, Pimblett took a softer approach. He said McGregor's body could not hold up after such a long absence from competition. "Coming out and throwing a crazy kick like that, first thing, his knee just collapsed underneath him," Pimblett told reporters. "I feel bad for him." The 29-year-old bounced back from a January loss to Justin Gaethje by submitting Benoit Saint Denis in 52 seconds on the same card. He won his first seven UFC bouts after arriving in 2021, including victories over Michael Chandler and Tony Ferguson.

Pimblett said his next fight could be against Gaethje, Arman Tsarukyan, Ilia Topuria, or Charles Oliveira. He repeated his goal of becoming the first undisputed world champion from Liverpool. "I know that's in my destiny, whether it's in the next fight or the next 10 fights," he said. The Las Vegas crowd gave him a loud reception all week, which reinforced his belief that he can reach McGregor's level of stardom.

Original reporting:

• mmafighting.com — ‘The new boy is in town’: Paddy Pimblett had 2 very different reactions to Conor McGregor’s UFC 329 injury | MMA Fighting