Dustin Poirier issues final verdict on Paddy Pimblett potentially becoming UFC champion one day

Dustin Poirier acknowledged that he initially underestimated Paddy Pimblett's potential and shared his thoughts on whether the Brit can become the UFC champion in future. Although Pimblett is a rising star at lightweight, he has faced criticism for certain flaws in his fighting style. Many had limited expectations for his competitive future, particularly after his lacklustre performance against Jared Gordon in 2022.

However, the 30-year-old's dominant victory over Michael Chandler at UFC 314 changed this perception. Poirier, who predicted Chandler would win, admitted that Pimblett proved him wrong in a recent interview with Ariel Helwani, stating:

"Of course, Man. [I was surprised that he defeated Michael Chandler]. I thought Chandler was going to beat him, but I was wrong. Paddy is legit, man!"

When asked if he thinks Pimblett can become the UFC champion in future, Poirier replied:

"Yeah, if he believes in it and works hard enough, and keeps doing what he's doing, he can be a champion."

Check out Dustin Poirier's comments below:

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Dustin Poirier wants to see this "incredible fight" involving Paddy Pimblett next

In an interview with Mike Bohn of MMA Junkie, Dustin Poirier remarked that Pimblett's performance against Michael Chandler elevated him from being a prospect to a contender.

He emphasized that Pimblett's next fight needs to be "really big" and suggested matchups against top contenders such as Mateusz Gamrot, Arman Tsarukyan and Charles Oliveira. He added the one matchup involving Pimblett that he would particularly like to see as a fan of the sport, stating:

"For me, as a fan, put him with Dan Hooker. That would be an incredible fight. That's a fun fight, the build-up is going to be fun. Dan is going to stand and trade with him, Dan has good takedown defence, good on the ground, that's the fight, I think."

Check out Dustin Poirier's comments below (3:07):

During the UFC 314 post-fight press conference, UFC CEO Dana White stated that Pimblett was already a contender of the division, implying that he could be just a few fights away from a title shot.

Meanwhile, Pimblett had expressed the desire to face Poirier, but the fight could not materialize. 'The Diamond' is now set to face Max Holloway in his retirement fight at UFC 318.

Additionally, the Brit has also been linked to fights against Charles Oliveira and Ilia Topuria. However, both men have shown interest in fighting for the lightweight title before fighting other opponents.