Paddy Pimblett blames ‘ego’ for UFC 324 loss to Justin Gaethje: ‘I wanted to show I could strike with him’
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - DECEMBER 10: Paddy Pimblett of England reacts after defeating Jared Gordon in a lightweight fight during the UFC 282 event at T-Mobile Arena on December 10, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC) Paddy Pimblett is back in camp and preparing for his next fight, with lessons learned from his last loss to Justin Gaethje still stuck in his mind. Pimblett lost a decision to Gaethje at UFC 324 back in January.
It was an exciting fight, and part of that had to do with both fighters just brawling through the rounds. Pimblett is a submission specialist, but he barely even attempted to take Gaethje down. Now Gaethje is moving on to face Ilia Topuria for the lightweight belt at the UFC’s big White House event in June, leaving Paddy to rebuild towards a title shot.
“So to be honest, with the last fight, I think a little bit of me ego got in the way” Pimblett said in a new YouTube video. “I wanted to knock him out. I wanted to strike with him and show everyone I could strike with him.
When you’re trying to take him down in the fifth round after he bludgeoned you at the end of the second, it’s quite hard. Back to fight IQ. Back to the game plan and not just swinging recklessly.
” The path back starts at UFC 329 in July, where the worst kept secret in MMA is that Pimblett will face Benoit Saint-Denis at the International Fight Week card. Paddy’s now back in camp after doing his typical in-between fight weight gain, and the struggle is real … real good? “Body’s feeling it, as it will be the first few weeks back,” he said.