Paddy Pimblett blames ego for UFC 324 loss to Gaethje
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Paddy Pimblett says his ego cost him the interim lightweight title at UFC 324.
Pimblett dropped a decision to Justin Gaethje in January after five rounds of heavy exchanges at T-Mobile Arena, a fight in which the Liverpool native largely abandoned his submission game to trade strikes with one of the sport’s most dangerous lightweights. Speaking on his YouTube channel during his current training camp, Pimblett pinned the loss on poor fight IQ and a need to prove himself standing.
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“To be honest, with the last fight, I think a little bit of me ego got in the way,” Pimblett said, per MMA Fighting. “I wanted to knock him out. I wanted to strike with him and show everyone I could strike with him. When you’re trying to take him down in the fifth round after he bludgeoned you at the end of the second, it’s quite hard. Back to fight IQ. Back to the game plan and not just swinging recklessly.”
Pimblett targets July return against Saint Denis
The former Cage Warriors champion suggested his most complete octagon performances came after disrupted camps, citing wins over Bobby Green and Michael Chandler as examples. Pimblett has publicly indicated a July 11 return at UFC 329 during International Fight Week, with reports from MMA Mania and other outlets pointing to Benoit Saint Denis as the likely opponent. Both fighters sit in the lightweight top six.
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Gaethje is scheduled to unify his interim strap with Ilia Topuria at the UFC’s White House event in June. Pimblett made clear he hopes the former Wyoming wrestler wins. “That’s what we want, lad,” he said. “I hope he beats Ilia so I can fight him again.”
No bout agreements have been signed for UFC 329. The card marks the promotion’s annual Las Vegas showcase during fight week.
Photo: James English / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0
Original reporting:
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