Paddy Pimblett’s recent victory over Michael Chandler at UFC 314 has sparked discussions about “The Baddy” being the next big thing in the promotion.
Legendary UFC announcer Bruce Buffer recently offered his opinion on whether Pimblett is capable of achieving such fame and success in the UFC.
Bruce Buffer Rates Paddy Pimblett as Qualified Enough To Be the Next Face of the UFC
In a recent interview with TMZ Sports, Bruce Buffer analyzed Paddy Pimblett’s characteristics in and outside the Octagon to share his take on whether the Scouser could become the face of the UFC.
Initially, Buffer opined that the UFC has had several prominent fighters who could be rated as “faces.”
“Fighters come along every couple of years, give or take, who have the ‘It’ fact. I measure fighters not by how they perform in the Octagon.”
He went on to highlight Pimblett’s immense talent, referring to his UFC 314 victory over Chandler.
The UFC fight announcer lauded the British lightweight’s capacity to upgrade his game with each fight, saying, “He’s improving on his skills; he’s improving on the techniques. I think most people don’t realise how skilled Paddy is… He’s definitely going to be a contender on his way to [a title fight].”
The Southern California native also lauded Pimblett’s outside-the-Octagon skill sets, which could help him become the next big thing in the UFC.
“His interviews are exciting… He’s got a personality that grabs on to people. He’s great for marketing. He’s building a brand for himself. These are all the attributes that actually add to a fighter’s gravitas. That, combined with his fight skills, and you’re talking about a good role model for the UFC.”
The kind of response Pimblett receives from fans during his walkouts also indicates that Buffer may not be wrong in judging him capable of becoming one of the UFC’s faces in the future.
Pimblett currently holds an undefeated UFC record with seven straight victories. The Liverpudlian also possesses an exciting fight style and a plethora of finishes on his record, both via KO/TKO and submissions. Apart from his remarkable statistics, his eccentric persona and brashness on the mic have proven handy in garnering fan attention.
Not only fans but top fighters are also igniting feuds with him, allegedly in the hope of a fight in the future. Pimblett has a long-running beef with the former UFC Featherweight Champion Ilia Topuria. Recently, Colby Covington talked trash to him at UFC 314 backstage.
Despite Pimblett’s dominant run in the UFC, “The Baddy” recently received a warning about being careful regarding choosing his future rivals.
Derek Brunson asked him to refrain from accepting an offer to lock horns with Dan Hooker for his next fight. For unknown reasons, the former UFC middleweight labeled the Hooker fight a potential “trap” for Pimblett.