Brad Tate, the UFC cutman, seemingly gave his prediction on Paddy Pimblett’s next fight. Pimblett had called out the top lightweight contenders after UFC 314, and Tate appears to believe the Liverpudlian will make quick work of them in a potential matchup.
Tate first rose to fame through his appearance on The Ultimate Fighter: Team GSP vs. Team Koscheck, where he served as the paramedic for Georges St-Pierre’s team. He has since become one of the UFC’s most well-known cutmen.
What Did Brad Tate Say About Paddy Pimblett’s Next Fight?
In his most recent fight, Pimblett secured a third-round TKO victory over Michael Chandler at UFC 314. Still undefeated in the UFC, Pimblett boldly called out big names during his octagon interview with Joe Rogan.
Pimblett said, “Anyone in the top four, top five. I want that world title. All laugh all you want and say I’ll never be champ, just like you said I’ll never get ranked, I’ll never be on the top 10. But what now, you gang of mushrooms? I want Dustin [Poirier], Justin [Gaethje], Charles [Oliveira], or the little posh boy Arman [Tsarukyan].”
Tate commented on ESPN MMA’s Instagram post showing the callout, writing: “He can fights Charles, Ilia, Arman, Justin, Dustin lakers in 5.”
The term “Lakers in five” was first linked to O’Shea Jackson Jr. and Super Sam, but it gained popularity through Shannon Sharpe, who often uses it on ESPN’s “First Take.”
Who Is Pimblett’s Priority Option and Why?
Some of the big names Pimblett called out were in attendance at UFC 314. Justin Gaethje was in the crowd, while Dustin Poirier was on desk duty for ESPN MMA.
During Pimblett’s callout, the broadcast camera zoomed in on Gaethje, who seemed interested in a potential fight. However, he wasn’t Pimblett’s first choice.
Pimblett explained who it was and why during the octagon interview, saying, “I respect Dustin, Justin, and Charles. Charles is the biggest legend out of them all, and he gets called the best submitting artist the UFC’s ever seen. Well, I dispute that. I’m here. So, me versus Charles.”
Charles Oliveira is No. 2 in the lightweight rankings, with Arman Tsarukyan, who holds a win over “Do Bronx,” sitting at No. 1. Pimblett is also open to fighting Tsarukyan, even though he doesn’t respect him like he does the others.
Still, Pimblett’s most intense rivalry has been with Ilia Topuria, who is awaiting his lightweight debut. A fight between the two could draw serious attention. Topuria has even claimed they could headline a pay-per-view without a title on the line.