Paddy Pimblett Expects Goal Posts To Be Moved Again After UFC 314 Win

Paddy Pimblett has a perfect 6-0 record since he joined the UFC in 2021. Despite his winning ways and the promotional push the UFC has given him, Pimblett feels he has been “underestimated and overlooked” during his UFC tenure. On Saturday, April 12, Pimblett gets the chance to change that narrative when he faces former UFC lightweight title challenger Michael Chandler in the co-main event of UFC 314.

“Every fight, I get underestimated and overlooked,” Pimblett said during the recent UFC 314 pre-fight press conference in Las Vegas. “But I’m getting in there now with someone who’s top 10, someone who’s fought all the legends in the division. He’s fought for the title.

“So finally, I’m going to get in there and when I win, people can’t chat (expletive) – but they will. The goal posts always get moved when I win. People will start saying stuff. But I’m going to be ranked No. 7 once this fight’s over, and I will be in title contention.”

Pimblett is currently the No. 12 fighter in the official UFC lightweight rankings, while Chandler checks in, as Pimblett inferred, No. 7.

The 30-year-old Pimblett is a popular figure in the MMA world. However, the former Cage Warriors featherweight champion is not without his detractors. Those naysayers will point to favorable matchmaking, his last two opponents were Tony Ferguson, who was on a 0-6 run when he faced Pimblett, and Bobby Green, who was 38 when the two tangled. Pimblett defeated Ferguson by decision and Green via submission.

In addition to the perception that Pimblett has been on the receiving end of generous matchmaking, there are those, like myself, who worry about Pimblett’s lack of defensive striking acumen and his tendency to carry his chin far too high when he engages in striking battles.

Despite those criticisms, Pimblett is undefeated in the UFC with four stoppage wins and four “Performance of the Night” bonuses.

A win over Chandler, who is 1-4 in his past five outings with a win over Tony Ferguson and losses to Charles Oliveira, Justin Gaethje, Dustin Poirier and Charles Oliveira in a rematch, will silence some of those critics, but Pimblett will likely still hear rumblings that a win over a 38-year-old Chandler doesn’t mean what it once did.

However, don’t expect the sometimes brash Pimblett to give those attacks much time, as he’s already thinking about what will come after a win over Chandler at UFC 314.

“After I beat Chandler, I’d love to fight Ilia (Topuria) next, but we’ll see what happens,” said Pimblett. “I’d love to fight (Dustin) Poirier. I’d love to fight (Charles) Oliveira. I just want to fight someone who will get me a title fight, because obviously that’s what we do this for.”

UFC 314 takes place on Saturday, April 12 at Kaseya Center in Miami, Florida. In the main event, former UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski and Diego Lopes will battle for the vacant UFC featherweight belt. The UFC 314 fight card streams on ESPN+ pay-per-view.