Paddy Pimblett has held talks with Liverpool FC about staging a clash for the ages at Anfield, but Dana White may put a halt to his plans.
The Brit has gone above and beyond to fight at his beloved home stadium, discussing his plans with the club, who the fighter claims are more than open to the idea.
Paddy Pimblett has held talks with Liverpool FC for a historic event
On Saturday evening, at UFC 304 inside the Co-op Live in Manchester, UK, Paddy Pimblett will return to the cage for an eagerly-anticipated collision with King (formerly Bobby) Green.
The bout pits the formidable Scouse grappler against a talented American striker, in a match-up that looks bound to excite.
But while Pimblett has to keep his eye on the ball tomorrow evening, he can’t help but let his mind wander to his dream of trading leather inside Anfield Stadium.
Intent on turning his wildest ambition into a reality, the fighter has held talks with Liverpool CEO Billy Hogan, who’s supposedly on board with the idea.
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In an interview with the ECHO, Pimblett said: “I’ve spoken to people at Anfield about it. I’ve spoken to the CEO of Liverpool and they are all willing and happy to get it on. They want to do it.
“They’ve said it to me plenty of times. I sit in the Legends Lounge when I go to the [Liverpool] games, and I’ve been to the boardroom where the CEO sits, and they want to do it. I’d love the UFC to get in contact with them and get it done.”
While some may question whether Pimblett is ready to compete for a championship belt, the Liverpudlian is adamant that he could shift a huge volume of tickets regardless of who his opponent would be.
The 29-year-old added: “It doesn’t need to be a title fight, I’d sell it out without a title. What’s Anfield now? 60,000 and with seats on the floor 70,000, 80,000? I’d sell that out, I promise you now.”
Alas, while the prospect of Pimblett storming to the cage in front of an army of passionate supporters in an open-air stadium is undeniably a salivating prospect, the President of the UFC isn’t thrilled about the idea.
Dana White shoots down a UK stadium show
Throughout its history, The UFC has staged many fantastic events, with the some of the promotion’s stadium fights standing out as the most memorable.
In 2015, Holly Holm produced one of the greatest upsets in UFC history when she rendered Ronda Rousey unconscious in front of a raucous 56,214-strong Australian crowd at Marvel Stadium in Melbourne.
Four years later, the company returned to the venue with another huge show. This time, Israel Adesanya claimed the middleweight strap in front of a larger crowd of 57,127, with an awe-inspiring knockout over Robert Whittaker.
In addition, Stipe Miocic traveled to enemy territory to render Fabricio Werdum unconscious and pick up the heavyweight title in front of 45,207 spectators at the Arena da Baixada in Curitiba, Brazil.
Alas, Dana White still isn’t a huge fan of outdoor events. During the UFC 304 press conference, he burst the balloon of a stadium fight in the UK.
The American explained: “I’ve said many times, I’m not a big fan of stadium fights; we’ve done them. I like the intimate feeling of an arena. I think it’s a better experience for the fans. I’m not saying that I wouldn’t do it, but I’m an arena guy.”
However, with a ‘never-say-never’ attitude, the businessman has left the door ajar for British fans to continue pestering him in the hope of getting the event they so desperately crave.
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