After securing the biggest victory of his career at UFC 314, Paddy Pimblett finds himself reaching a new level of stardom—one he’s never experienced before. With a third-round knockout over the explosive Michael Chandler, the Englishman has officially put himself among the top lightweights in the world. But that wasn’t the only list he joined that night. During the post-fight press conference, Pimblett became the latest in a line of fighters to accuse Michael Chandler of cheating. Sadly, it’s not a new label for Chandler. However, Pimblett didn’t hold back when addressing what went down in the Octagon.
“As I say I like Mike, he’s a nice fella, he’s very respectful and nice outside the cage,” Pimblett said. “But when he gets in it, he hit me with about four punches in the back of the head in the first round, you know what I mean? Not even got said to him. But you never know, he might have kicked me on purpose because he needed a little break.”
“He hit me with about four punches in the back of the head.”
Paddy Pimblett says Michael Chandler’s groin shot wasn’t the only foul committed at #UFC314. pic.twitter.com/j4fMifbhTZ
— MMA Junkie (@MMAJunkie) April 13, 2025
The Englishman isn’t the only one who has accused the Missouri native of cunning tactics. Former interim lightweight champion Dustin Poirier also called out Chandler, alleging that he grabbed his face and even spat blood into his eyes during their fight. Moreover, ‘The Diamond’ accused Chandler of rabbit punches and fish hooking in their UFC 281 clash.
Even Charles Oliveira—arguably one of the most respectful fighters in the sport—claimed Chandler struck him with illegal punches to the back of the head at UFC 309, it’s hard to ignore the pattern. Moreover, Pimblett was skeptical before the bout regarding Chandler’s alleged cheating tactics, “He’s the nicest man in the world he outside the cage and then when he gets in there he’s a dirty ba—-d, isn’t he? I always say if you’re not cheating, you’re not trying. I understand what he’s trying to do. He wants to win. That’s the main thing when it comes to this game. But yeah, I probably will mention to the ref in the back, if he’s going to grab my glove I’m going to say [something]. If he tries to poke me in the eye and stuff like that.”
At this rate, it may only be a matter of time before accusations of dirty tactics become a defining part of Chandler’s fighting identity. But as UFC 314 is in the rearview mirror, let’s see what the future holds for Paddy Pimblett!
Can another victory lead Paddy Pimblett to a title shot?
Beating Michael Chandler is a massive feather in Paddy Pimblett’s cap. With countless veterans of the sport favoring Chandler leading into the bout, ‘The Baddy’ didn’t just prove them wrong. He did it in style! A knockout victory over a former UFC title challenger isn’t just a statement. It’s a warning to the rest of the division. After the bout, Pimbett made his intentions very clear as he talked to Joe Rogan after the bout, “Anyone in the top four, top five, I want that world title. Laugh all you want and say I’ll never be champ, just like you said I’ll never get ranked, I’ll never be in the Top 10. Well, what now, you gang of mushrooms? I want Dustin (Poirier), Justin (Gaethje), Charles (Oliveira), or the little posh boy Arman (Tsarukyan), any of them four.”
“I respect Dustin, Justin, and Charles. Charles is the biggest legend out of them all and he gets called the best submission artist the UFC has ever seen. Well, I dispute that — I’m here! So me versus Charles. F—k Arman, he’s a little helmet. F—k that sausage.”
UFC 314 – Volkanovski vs Lopes MIAMI, FL – APRIL 12: Michael Chandler and Paddy Pimblett meet in the octagon for a 3-round bout at UFC 314 – Volkanovski vs Lopes at Kesaya Center on April 12, 2025 in Miami, FL Photo by Louis Grasse/PxImages Miami, FL Kesaya Center MIAMI, FL United States Copyright: xLouisxGrassex
A dominant win like this doesn’t just build momentum; it pushes Paddy closer to title contention. But in true Pimblett fashion, he made waves in his post-fight press conference by even calling out Conor McGregor. “You know the Irish-Scouser connection? You were meant to back me, but you went for the Yank instead. But it’s one of them—if he ever wants to come back, I’ll be here waiting.”
Pimblett’s meteoric rise has been powered by more than just his fighting ability. Now, with Chandler behind him, the path ahead is full of blockbuster potential. A showdown with fellow brawlers like Justin Gaethje or Charles Oliveira could be next. But the McGregor callout looms large. Could Paddy be the one to finally lure Conor back into the Octagon? Let us know what you think in the comment section below!
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