Paddy Pimblett continues to impress, and Brendan Schaub is urging everyone to recognize his potential now.
At UFC 314, “The Baddy” stole the spotlight, arguably more so than Alexander Volkanovski`s featherweight title defense and Jean Silva`s impressive submission victory. Pimblett dominated veteran Michael Chandler, securing a knockout victory in just under three rounds.
Prior to the fight, Demetrious Johnson, a flyweight legend, suggested Pimblett could become a UFC champion. Now, Schaub elevates that praise, suggesting Pimblett could become the most prominent figure in MMA.
“Having worked with numerous personalities,” Schaub stated on his YouTube channel, “Paddy Pimblett possesses unparalleled engagement and star power. He commands attention like no one else, reminiscent of Conor McGregor. I`ve consistently said Pimblett is the closest comparison to McGregor we`ll see, and he reinforced that again tonight.”
“People are realizing, ‘He’s actually better than anticipated.’ Absolutely. Observing his performances, it’s clear he has all the necessary attributes. He will continue to exceed expectations, much like Conor. There’s nothing like witnessing the rise of a star. Get on board now. Paddy Pimblett is poised to be the next global icon for the UFC.”
Pimblett entered the UFC in 2021 with considerable anticipation following his success in Cage Warriors, a UK-based organization that also launched McGregor and other UFC notables. He has since become a figure of both admiration and criticism. Despite winning his initial four UFC bouts, a controversial decision win against Jared Gordon led to skepticism, but he has maintained his winning streak, currently holding a 7-0 record in the UFC.
His victory over Chandler marked Pimblett`s most compelling performance to date. Regardless of detractors, he is likely only one or two significant wins away from a title opportunity. Schaub further speculated about a scenario where Jack Della Maddalena wins the welterweight title at UFC 315, lightweight champion Islam Makhachev moves up to seek a second title, and Pimblett faces a returning McGregor for the vacant lightweight championship.
“It’s conceivable that Conor could be motivated to return, especially since many believe Paddy is an easy matchup within the top 10 – and he will undoubtedly reach the top 10,” Schaub commented. “Many veterans, including Conor McGregor, might underestimate Paddy, which would be a mistake. Paddy is continuously improving with each fight. I’m telling you, he’s the future face of the UFC.”
“Conor might think, ‘This kid is popular, he’s the face of UK MMA, but his striking isn’t elite’ – again, they’d be wrong – ‘I’ll fight Paddy.’ I anticipate Islam moving up, creating a vacant lightweight title scenario. While Belal Muhammad could disrupt this, ideally, with one more win for Paddy, a McGregor fight becomes the most logical and high-demand matchup. A fight between Paddy and Ilia Topuria isn’t as compelling now. But McGregor versus Pimblett surpasses Islam versus Topuria or Jon Jones versus Tom Aspinall in terms of viewership. If Paddy defeats Conor, he ascends to become the UFC’s biggest star. That’s the ideal scenario for the UFC.”
