Joe Rogan says Pimblett was rushed into Gaethje fight
Back in January, Paddy Pimblett found himself in over his head. That’s how Joe Rogan saw it, watching from close range as Pimblett came up short against Justin Gaethje in their UFC 324 headliner.
Photo by Michael Schwartz/WireImage Back in January, Paddy Pimblett found himself in over his head. That’s how Joe Rogan saw it, watching from close range as Pimblett came up short against Justin Gaethje in their UFC 324 headliner. They fought for the interim lightweight title while Ilia Topuria was away.
The Spaniard will be back in the summer, but it won’t be for a bout with Pimblett, despite what many fans had hoped to see. Gaethje defied a lot of expectations at the start of 2026, and Rogan believes he was simply too much for Pimblett at this stage of his career. Paddy Pimblett’s UFC career hit its first roadblock earlier this year, and Joe Rogan has given his take on what went wrong Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC Some felt he should have leaned more into his grappling game, especially against a striker like Gaethje.
But speaking during his JRE Fight Companion episode for UFC London, Rogan pointed to Pimblett’s rapid rise through the ranks as a bigger factor than any tactical missteps on the night. “Do you feel like he got rushed into (fighting) a guy like Gaethje? That he should have had a few more top contenders?
” Rogan asked Brendan Schaub. “I think it was (too much, too soon). Gaethje’s a monster on the feet.