Paddy Pimblett thinks he’s going to defeat Michael Chandler at UFC 314 this weekend (Sat., April 12, 2025) in Miami, Florida. And he believes “Iron” thinks that, too.
In a new interview on Full Send Podcast, Pimblett talked about Chandler’s willingness to abandon strategy for entertainment.
“He comes out and tries to entertain,” Pimblett said. “Obviously, I love entertaining, it’s great, but first and foremost with fights we want to win the fight. It sounds bad to say, but I’d rather have a boring fight and win it.
“I’m saying, ‘You’re getting beat,’ and he’s saying ‘We’re gonna have a great fight,’” he added. “He’s not saying ‘I’m gonna win, I’m gonna win.’ He comes off very confident, but at the same time, I don’t think he is. I think he has at the back of his mind that he’s gonna lose.”
Pimblett is coming into UFC 314 with a master plan in mind that will get him to the title in two wins.
“Obviously I don’t look past the opponent,” he began. “But, I beat Michael Chandler, finish Michael Chandler in two [rounds], and then I gotta fight someone like Charles Oliveira in Abu Dhabi. Charles or Justin [Gaethje]. Dustin [Poirier] is gonna be retired by then. Or even Arman [Tsarukyan], but I think he’ll have a fight by then.
“Once I beat them, fight for a title in 2026,” Pimblett added. “That’s my road now, that’s the path I’m gonna follow.”
With Ilia Topuria jockeying for a Lightweight title fight right now, many are asking “The Baddy” if he wants “La Leyanda” to be holding the belt in 2026.
Paddy Pimblett WENT OFF on Ilia Topuria
“Everyone was saying do you want Ilia to become champ because then I’ll probably get a title shot. No I don’t want him to be champ F**K THAT MIDGET. Let me win the belt and I’ll have my first defence SMASHING HIS TEETH IN” pic.twitter.com/CGJlnMfejG
— FULL SEND MMA (@full_send_mma) April 7, 2025
“No, I don’t want him to be champ,” Pimblett said of Topuria. “I don’t want him to be champ at all. F—k that midget. I’d rather win the belt, then he can fight me for the title when I got it. And then I’ll have my first defense smashing his little teeth in.”
Pimblett knows he’s got a world of doubters out there, but he’s very confident that he’s going to shock everyone who’s still living in the past.
“This is my time,” Pimblett declared. “I’ve got to come in and show everyone the old guard is fading out and the new guard’s coming through and I am one of the new guard.”
Pimblett vs. Chandler goes down on the pay-per-view (PPV) portion of UFC 314, streaming live on ESPN. Make sure to tune in for all the news, results and highlights.
LIVE! Watch UFC 314 PPV On ESPN+ Here!
FEATHERWEIGHT MADNESS! Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) continues its 2025 pay-per-view (PPV) schedule on Sat., March 8, 2025, with a high-stakes clash between 205-pound kingpin, Alex Pereira, defending his Light Heavyweight crown against formidable No. 1-ranked contender, Magomed Ankalaev, in the five-round main event. In UFC 313’s electrifying co-headliner from inside T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, Lightweight fan-favorite and former interim champion, Justin Gaethje, will rematch the dynamic Rafael Fiziev in a three-round rematch, stepping in on short notice after Dan Hooker’s withdrawal due to injury. UFC 313 will also feature a hard-hitting Heavyweight battle between Curtis Blaydes and promotional newcomer, Rizvan Kuniev, alongside a Lightweight showdown with Jalin Turner facing Ignacio Bahamondes, and so much more! UFC 313’s start time is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. ET (“Prelims” undercard) and 10 p.m. ET (PPV main card).
Don’t miss a single second of EPIC face-punching action!
Remember that MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the entire UFC 314 fight card right here, starting with the ESPN+ “Prelims” matches online, which are scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. ET, before the main card start time at 10 p.m. ET (also on ESPN+)
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