Can Paddy Pimblett navigate his way around Michael Chandler? This question has been making noise in the heads of the fans who are eagerly waiting for UFC 314 to happen. The fight is nothing but the classic showdown between a behemoth who has made his name within the promotion vs. an up-and-coming lightweight prospect. As both fighters establish themselves as top contenders, their clash promises to deliver fireworks.
With the date of the fight drawing closer, the MMA community is curious about how Michael Chandler and Paddy Pimblett will fare against each other. Well, worry not as we are going to have a breakdown of their fight in today’s montage. So, without any further ado, let’s get started.
UFC 313: Michael Chandler vs. Paddy Pimblett stats
On paper, Michael Chandler and Paddy Pimblett are miles apart. How? If we take a closer look at their statistics, we can see that unlike Chandler, who capitalizes on his incredible knockout power, the Briton primarily employs his grappling to win his matches. The former Bellator champion has an amazing track record of 23 victories and only 9 defeats. It is worth noting that out of these 23 victories, 11 came by way of knockout. However, what keeps the fighter down is his fight IQ.
Michael Chandler has a striking accuracy of 50%, but the Nashville, Tennessee native rarely capitalizes on his data because his desire to entertain always comes in between his skills. Well, it would not be wrong to state that the lightweight seldom listens to his corner. ‘Iron’ depends upon randomness and his conditioning rather than a game plan. In comparison to Chandler, Paddy Pimblett is a more systematic guy who unleashes his training in such a manner that his opponents crumble before him.
No, we’re not saying it figuratively or metaphorically — his opponents literally crumble before him. With a career record of 22 victories and only 3 defeats, the fighter has 11 victories by way of submission. Well, it’s not common for the British Island to nurture a fighter who has tremendous grappling but it appears that Pimblett is here to prove everyone wrong.
It is important to remember that Pimblett has a reach advantage as well. Michael Chandler stands at 5″8 tall with a reach of 71.5″ (182cm), while Paddy Pimblett stands at 5″10 with a reach of 73.0″ (185cm). Now that we know about the technicalities, lets have a look at the predictions.
Chandler vs. Pimblett breakdown and prediction
The battle is nothing but a showdown between a primary striker with absolute ruthlessness and a strategic grappler. Michael Chandler’s has finished Tony Ferguson and Dan ‘The Hangman’ Hooker as well. Both of them were taller than Chandler. ‘Iron’ is not someone who should be taken lightly. However, his past few endeavors can be questioned, particularly his last battle against Charles Oliveira, where he was thoroughly outclassed except in the last round which was pure adrenaline.
Being a striker who has the power to end someone’s career, if Chandler catches Paddy Pimblett lacking in any of the rounds, then it’s a game over for the Briton. However, the question is: Will Paddy Pimblett let Michael Chandler tango? ‘The Baddy’ is one of the most systematic grapplers in the lightweight division as of now, and he has yet to concede a defeat under the promotion. With six victories under the promotion, the young fighter has finished four of them.
Many fans and pros want Chandler to wrestle more in his fights. Why wouldn’t they? Have you seen him chain wrestling with Kamaru Usman? But here’s the catch. Pimblett is too slick to be shot at. He caught King Green in a submission in the blink of an eye after the latter tried to take him down. Pimblett can capitalize on his grappling skills to break through Chandler’s guard, considering Mike does not do so well from the guard. However, it may be a bit difficult to get him down, given Chandler’s wrestling background.
It is worth noting that ‘Iron’ tends to leave too many openings, which can be exploited by his opponents—especially by a skilled grappler. If Pimblett catches Chandler lacking, then it’s a deal done for him. As the day of the fight draws near, what are your thoughts on the predictions? State your opinion in the comments below.
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