Paddy Pimblett: Demetrious Johnson drops honest verdict on Paddy Pimblett’s UFC title chances

Demetrious Johnson drops honest verdict on Paddy Pimblett’s UFC title chances

Modified Apr 09, 2025 20:58 GMT

Demetrious Johnson (right) drops honest verdict on Paddy Pimblett’s (left) UFC title chances. [Images courtesy: @ufceurope and @mighty on Instagram]

UFC rising lightweight Paddy Pimblett is set to co-headline UFC 314 against Michael Chandler. He is aiming to take Chandler’s ranking position with a win and move one step closer to his dream of becoming UFC lightweight champion. Recently, Demetrious Johnson weighed in on ‘The Baddy’s' ambition and expressed confidence in his ability to fulfill that dream.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Johnson acknowledged the UK native’s potential to reach the pinnacle of the UFC and also highlighted the harsh reality of MMA that many great fighters never manage to capture a title.

"I think one day he’ll be a champion. If he doesn’t, he’ll be like one of the guys who were really good but never were champions."

Check out Demetrious Johnson’s comments below:

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Pimblett remains undefeated in the UFC with a record of 6-0 in the promotion and an overall professional MMA record of 22-3. A victory over Chandler would push ‘The Baddy’ one step closer to UFC gold.

In his most recent UFC outing, Pimblett delivered an impressive performance against King Green at UFC 304, securing a first-round victory via a triangle choke.

Paddy Pimblett shares plan to fight for UFC lightweight title in 2026

The UFC lightweight division is considered one of the most entertaining and toughest in the sport, making it extremely challenging for fighters to become champion.

Paddy Pimblett recently laid out his plan to get his hands on UFC gold. During his appearance on the Full Send Podcast, ‘The Baddy’ emphasized that he plans to finish Michael Chandler inside two rounds at UFC 314 and then target a top contender like Charles Oliveira or Justin Gaethje by the end of the year. He said:

“I'm going to beat Michael Chandler. I'm going to finish Michael Chandler in two rounds. Then I'm going to fight someone like Charles Oliveira in Abu Dhabi—Charles or Justin. I think Dustin [Poirier] will be retired by then, so maybe even Arman [Tsarukyan], but I think he'll have a fight. And once I beat them, I'll fight for the title in 2026. That's my road, man—that's the path I want to follow.”

Check out Paddy Pimblett’s comments below (35:47):

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Vaibhav started as a writer in 2023. In his short time in the field, he has already worked for various platforms, including Team Flexbox and Trivoli Digital. He feels his Bachelor of Arts degree in Mass Media and Communication helps him tackle the different types of articles required in a sports publication.

Alex Pereira’s rags-to-superstardom story makes the Brazilian Vaibhav’s most-beloved MMA fighter. That said, Max Holloway’s last-second knockout of Justin Gaethje at UFC 300 is his favorite fight. Vaibhav is of the opinion that MMA has overtaken boxing as the world’s top combat sport. He attributes this to the UFC’s marketing and global popularity among younger audiences. He also believes MMA fighters are not compensated adequately in comparison to the Sweet Science. While writing his news pieces, Vaibhav focuses on proper research from reliable sources and on ensuring timely content that adheres to the in-house style.

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Edited by Ritwik Kumar