Paddy Pimblett is one fight away from cracking into the UFC’s top 15, but one name from his past continues to haunt him.
Jared Gordon, the veteran New Yorker, gave the Brit numerous problems during their bout at UFC 282 with Pimblett eventually taking a wildly controversial decision. Since then, there has been interest in a rematch, although the promotion appear to have limited interest.
The 35-year-old lightweight has fought the likes of Charles Oliveira during his run, and even had a bizarre outing against Pimblett’s next opponent Bobby Green. And he is still desperate to get that rematch as he insists that he would leave no doubt against the Liverpool this time around.
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Jared Gordon gives his prediction for Paddy Pimblett vs Bobby Green
As one of the few men who has shared the octagon with both Paddy Pimblett and Bobby Green, Gordon is in a unique spot to predict the UFC 304 meeting. It is widely believed that he beat Pimblett despite the controversial judging, but his bout against Green ended in a No Contest at the end of the first round.
Gordon feels that the American knew there was a stoppage coming after he dominated the early proceedings, and that he deliberately headbutted him. Speaking with MiddleEasy from his Dubai training camp, he explained his side of events, and predicted that Pimblett might have the edge in their fight.
“The thing is with Bobby, he’s so unpredictable,” he explained. “You don’t know what you’re going to get from him. But he’s liable to get hit and Paddy goes for it – hands are down, he’s got that swag, Paddy goes for it.
“If you watch my fight [with Green], my hands were up the whole time when I fought Paddy, and I won but you know f***ing look what Bobby Green did to me, I’m beating him and then he just lunged in with his head.”
Green is certain the move was made out of frustration due to being in a bad spot, and that he meant it to cause a stoppage. “That had to be on purpose because he was frustrated because he didn’t expect me to do what I was doing,” he continued.
“I was winning that fight. So, I think Paddy can get it done too. I think if Bobby gets going, Paddy can’t have an off night. He’s got to get going right away, can’t let Bobby set a rhythm, once Bobby sets the rhythm, then you know he starts getting confident and then he starts doing well.
“But obviously Paddy is also unpredictable and can land a big shot or take you down and so I mean, I don’t know man. I want the winner though.”
Jared Gordon wants Paddy Pimblett rematch after UFC 304 clash with Bobby Green
Right after their initial bout, it was revealed that Pimblett had suffered an injury to his foot that required surgery and plans for a rematch with Gordon were shelved. He instead came back in December against former interim champion Tony Ferguson, whom he dominated in a career-best performance.
But knowing how close he came to a star-making win, Gordon is very keen to get that first fight back, insisting that he did enough to win. “All of his other opponents, Paddy, like, he destroyed them,” Gordon added.
“So like what does that say about where I’m at? I don’t know, I’m not trying to pat myself on the back but I just – I don’t I think they want to stay away from that fight, me vs Paddy because they saw what I did in the first one.”
And he would even be willing to go into the lion’s den of a big UK event in order to get his win back against Pimblett in front of his home fans. “So I don’t know. I think it would be awesome to fight Paddy in like a co-main or a main event in London or something or in Vegas again.”