Paddy Pimblett has been branded 'two-faced' after his reaction to Conor McGregor's defeat at UFC 329 went viral. The Liverpool native, known as 'The Baddy', returned to the Octagon on Saturday night, looking to bounce back from his gruelling defeat to Justin Gaethje in January. He faced surging lightweight contender Benoit Saint Denis and stunned the MMA world by submitting the Frenchman in under a minute after Saint Denis shot for a reckless takedown seconds into the contest.
Pimblett's Brutal Assessment of McGregor's Loss
Pimblett rushed backstage to catch the main event and offered a brutal assessment: 'Oh my god, McGregor's done already? He's finished, the new boy is in town. I can become the face of the organisation now.' His comments did not sit well with UFC heavyweight star Josh Hokit, who tore into the Liverpudlian brawler, saying: 'Fighters are the most two faced people in the world… Nothing but respect and bow downs to one another when it's convenient… And you wonder why I do what I do.'
Mixed Reactions at the Post-Fight Press Conference
Despite his scathing comments, Pimblett appeared to have some sympathy for a crestfallen McGregor at the post-fight press conference. 'It was sad to see but that's the thing with this sport, you've got to stay consistent, you've got to keep fighting and I think where he hasn't fought in so long, his body couldn't keep up with it,' he said. 'Coming out and throwing a crazy kick like that first thing… I feel bad for him he's put so much into coming back… Got to feel for him.'
Pimblett's Future and Retirement Admission
The Scouser has now put himself back in the mix for a potential crack at the undisputed title and a rematch with Gaethje following his dominant performance. Pimblett revealed after the contest that he would have retired if he had lost to Saint Denis. 'This fight camp wasn't easy. About four or five weeks ago, I turned to my coach and was like, 'If I don't win this fight what's the point in fighting anymore? I might as well retire.' [I knew] that if I can't beat BSD, then what's the point in fighting? If I can't beat BSD, I'm never going to be a world champ, and that's what I do this for,' he said. 'I do this to be the best in the world. So, if I can't beat him... and then two days later, Justin Gaethje beats Ilia Topuria, and it was one of the biggest kicks up the a**** I've ever had in my life. It set a fire underneath me, and I just, the last couple of weeks of this training camp have been unbelievable and I'm ready to kill anyone. Put anyone in front of me and I'll kill them.'
