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Thus far, that gift appears to have translated well to the lightweight division, as “El Matador” knocked out Charles Oliveira just 2:27 into Round 1 of the UFC 317 headliner this past Saturday at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The newly-crowned lightweight champion’s recent list of KO victims includes Oliveira, Max Holloway and Alexander Volkanovski, but there’s one up-and-coming contender who is confident that he would be able to weather the Georgian-Spaniard’s power.
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“That’s the thing, he’s [Oliveira] got loads of damage,” Paddy Pimblett said on “Verse Us” podcast. “I’ve never had a fight like that. I want to have a war with someone but I’ve never had one. Never took a sustained amount of damage in my life. He wouldn’t knock me out. He could hit me with his best punch and I’d laugh in his face.”
Pimblett was on hand at UFC 317, and he was allowed to enter the cage for a face-off with Topuria in the aftermath of the main event. According to UFC CEO Dana White, it was an encounter that was never supposed to happen. While Pimblett and Topuria have a history of bad blood, it’s not a given that “The Baddy” is next in line for a 155-pound title shot.
However, the former Cage Warriors champion believes that Topuria would notice the size difference if they squared off in the Octagon.
“I’ve said this before in several interviews: People just think he’d steamroll me, but it’s different when there’s that much size difference,” Pimblett said. “People think I’m not good enough to [go against him] but lad, he’s a midget.
“That’s what I said to him, I will finish you, little boy. He’s that much shorter than me, I’m so much wider than him. That plays a part. That’s why people cut weight.”
Pimblett: ‘I Want to Put Him Through Pain’
Pimblett has compiled a 7-0 record since joining the Las Vegas-based promotion. The 30-year-old Liverpool native has authored some of his most impressive performances in recent fights, earning finishes of Bobby Green and Michael Chandler in last two UFC outings.
I think it’s the only fight to make. We haven’t seen two people genuinely dislike each other since Conor-Khabib,” Pimblett said. “…I hate him. I absolutely hate him. I want to inflict pain on his life. I’d like that fight to go 4:50 seconds into the fifth round and I’ve landed 907 elbows, and I’ve disfigured his face.
“I don’t want a quick knockout. I want to put him through pain.”
This article first appeared at Recent News on Sherdog.com
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