Former UFC middleweight champion Michael Bisping shares words of advice to rising UFC lightweight Paddy Pimblett.
Pimblett is fresh off a controversial victory over Jared Gordon at UFC 282 in December, which marked his fourth consecutive win under the UFC. The victory over Gordon was the first time Pimblett had faced the judge’s scorecards.
On the lead-up to his UFC 282 co-headliner, the 28-year-old was in the firing line of critics after his back-and-forth with MMA journalist Ariel Helwani. Pimblett, alongside his manager Graham Boylan believed they should be paid for interviews by the media.
Several fighters on the UFC lightweight roster have been chomping at the bit to get their hands on the loud Liverpudlian. Pimblett has stated in the past he won’t call anyone out, as he forbids giving them attention. Bisping, who strongly disagrees with Pimblett’s stance on being paid for interviews, also feel’s the top of the lightweight division doesn’t gain any clout from a Pimblett callout.
Michael Bisping shares advice to Paddy Pimblett
Having sat in Pimblett’s seat in the past, Bisping shares some friendly advice for the rising UFC star.
“I think what Paddy needs to do is just humble himself a little bit,” Bisping said on his Believe You Me podcast. “Stop with this ‘I’m the new cash cow’ sh*t. When I asked him who would he want to fight next, ‘I don’t need to say anyone’s name because I am the man. I’m the boy, I’m the cash cow.’ And you’re yet to fight someone ranked. When you’re dominating people, it’s all well and good. When you’re scraping by a victory, it doesn’t have the same effect, and it starts to rub people off the wrong way.
“Nobody in the top 10, certainly in the top five, needs Paddy to give them a rub. Dustin Poirier, Islam Makhachev, Charles Oliveira, these are household names in mixed martial arts. They don’t need Paddy to say their name to get a few Instagram followers. The whole ‘pay me for interviews’ thing, I think that left a bad taste in people’s mouths. Again, I’m not hating. I’m just being honest in what I saw.”
Bisping believes Pimblett can get fans back on his side
When Bisping burst onto the scene, he was also a loud-spoken, trash-talking Englishman who the fans didn’t take to. The Hall of Famer thinks Pimblett is only a few smart moves away from the fans climbing back on his side.
“The sport forgives fast and quickly,” Bisping said. “All he’s got to do is go out there, beat someone, and that’s it. It’s all forgotten about. Go out there, smoke someone, be cool and be funny, and all the rest of it and everyone forgets. This sport is about what have you done for me lately. You’re only as good as your last fight. “Look at me. I made so many mistakes. I was hated. We wouldn’t have a podcast now if I was still hated.”
Quotes via Bellingham Herald
Can Paddy Pimblett gain the fans back he lost towards the end of the year? Let us know what you think!