Rising UFC star Paddy Pimblett’s win over American veteran Jared Gordon stunned the world — and nearly 48 hours later debate continues to rage over the shock result which was dubbed a “highway robbery”.
The fight was handed to the undefeated lightweight by unanimous decision, with all three judges scoring it 29-28 to the Liverpudlian.
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With the victory, the brash up-and-comer maintained his perfect UFC record (4-0), and increased the likelihood of Dana White handing the 27-year-old a ranked opponent next.
In his post-fight press conference Pimblett, better known to fans as Paddy “The Baddy”, was strong in his stance that he not only won the fight, but did so convincingly.
“Everyone’s got an opinion lad, opinions are arseholes, everyone’s got one, I know I won that fight… I deal in facts lad and I won a unanimous decision,” Pimblett said in the post-fight interview.
“Look at his face and look at mine, fights get scored on damage now.”
Pimblett, who has been touted as having the potential to be “the next McGregor”, found support from the man himself with Conor taking to social media to praise Paddy for his win.
“Congrats Paddy The Baddy this weekend. Doing all the right things despite what you’d think. Great stuff. Onward,” McGregor tweeted.
UFC president Dana White tended to agree, appearing to immediately give a nod of approval as the decision was announced, before launching a strong defence of Pimblett’s win in his post-fight press conference – while simultaneously taking a brutal swipe at Gordon’s tactics in the process.
“Gordon had a horrible game plan going into that third round,” White said at the UFC 282 post-fight press conference.
“You think you won the first two rounds with the judges? How do you know that? Why go in there and throw away the third round and not go in and fight your ass off and try to win.
“If you think you know who won what round or whatever, you’re crazy. I’ve been doing this for 23 years. I have no f****** idea what those guys are going to do or what they’re going to say.”
Veteran referee Herb Dean was also in the firing line as White continued his critique.
“[Gordon] felt that he had the first two rounds and he went in and pushed him against the fence and I’ve got to go after the ref [Herb Dean], too. A big fight, co-main event, third round, crowd’s going crazy, you’re going to let them stand against the fence the entire fight?,” White said.
“But these are the things that happen. What are you going to do? Horrible game plan by Gordon. The ref let it happen and he threw the fight away… You were doing great in the fight. Go out and fight the f****** third round.”
Unsurprisingly veteran MMA journalist Ariel Helwani, who has been involved in a controversial public back-and-forth with both Pimblett and White since the beginning of last week (following a long-standing feud with the UFC president), vehemently disagreed slamming the decision as one of the worst the UFC has ever seen.
“After watching that fight guys… I believe that is one of the worst decisions in the history of the UFC,” Helwani said during the post-UFC 282 episode of The Ringer MMA Show.
“I think that that was, at worst, 29-28 Jared Gordon. I think you can make a very strong case for 30-27. I do not know how all three judges could score that — not one, not even one dissenter — could score that for Paddy… I don’t know how you could give the first round to Paddy.
“I don’t understand it. I don’t understand how you give him the first. Honestly, I don’t understand how you give him the third. I really do think it’s one of the worst decisions. I feel for Jared Gordon, I thought he fought great.”
Another high profile name to heavily criticise the decision was boxing sensation Jake Paul – who has been involved in his own ongoing public feud with Pimblett – with the Youtube star suggesting that the Liverpudlian was on the receiving of some “Dana White privilege” (a term coined by Tony Ferguson).
“Being a UFC fighter, with zero rights and no control, is amazing if you are one of Dana White’s favourites,” he tweeted.
“You can even do a food review for free to drive up his views. What a league. You all deserve better.”
Paul later retweeted a post from Pimblett’s opponent Gordon which read: “I was robbed everyone knows it. I can cry about it, but I have been back from worst and god’s plan is the best plan so I know there’s something big to come from it”.
Another who didn’t miss the opportunity to take a swipe at “The Baddy” was Paddy’s arch nemisis and fellow undefeated UFC rising star Ilia Topuria, who had an impressive win over Bryce Mitchell two fights before Pimblett on the UFC 282 card, with “Mr Hand Sanitiser” caught reacting to the questionable verdict backstage.
‘You’re a chorizo!’ Paddy goes off | 02:16
When asked for his thoughts on the controversial decision in his post-fight press conference, Topuria suggested that Pimblett was “gifted” victory by judges Douglas Crosby, Chris Lee, and Ron McCarthy.
“They gave him a Christmas gift right now because he clearly lost the fight,” Topuria said.
“I don’t think anyone would disagree with me in this room.”
