Conor McGregor or Paddy Pimblett? Michael Chandler has sparked discussions in the MMA world with his candid remarks about a potential fight against Paddy Pimblett, suggesting that Pimblett might currently pose a greater threat than Conor McGregor.
Michael Chandler On Paddy Pimblett and Conor McGregor
Michael Chandler is a former UFC lightweight title challenger who emphasized that while Conor McGregor’s name remains iconic, his inactivity since 2021 raises questions about his competitiveness in the octagon. In contrast, Paddy Pimblett has been active and improving, recently securing a dominant win at UFC 304.
“You might talk to a lot of people from a fight perspective that [think] Paddy might be more dangerous than Conor at this point. We haven’t seen Conor in three years, [but] name wise? Yeah, you’re not gonna get a bigger name than Conor.”
The long-rumored Michael Chandler vs. Conor McGregor fight appears to be in serious doubt. Dana White has recently indicated that Conor McGregor will no longer fight Chandler in his UFC return. The bout was initially planned in early 2023.
As of today, no official fight date has been confirmed for Paddy Pimblett and Michael Chandler. However, there are strong indications that a potential matchup could happen at UFC 314 on April 12 in Miami, Florida.
Chandler expressed interest in facing Pimblett, calling it a fun fight. He acknowledged Pimblett’s popularity and charisma but highlighted the disparity in their experience levels.
“I like the idea of fighting Paddy Pimblett and making a ton of money. I don’t want to say easy fight because I could go out there and slip on a banana peel and get knocked out in front of everybody. But let’s just say I like the fight stylistically. I like Paddy as a human. I think he’s one of the good ones. And with that being said that does not stop me from wanting to separate him from consciousness.”
Despite his admiration for Pimblett as a person, Chandler did not hold back on his competitive mindset. He stated that he would aim to “separate him from consciousness” if they were to meet in the octagon.
“There’s no comparison between Paddy Pimblett and fighters on my resume like Gaethje, Poirier, Hooker…I’m supposed to beat him”
The potential fight appears mutually beneficial. For Michael Chandler, it offers an opportunity to bounce back from recent losses while capitalizing on Paddy Pimblett’s growing fanbase. For Pimblett, it represents a chance to break into the top ten by defeating a seasoned veteran.
