Paddy Pimblett continues to insist that Scousers don’t get knocked out as he gears up for his toughest test yet.
The Liverpool native takes on Michael Chandler in the co-main event of UFC 314, with fireworks expected between the two explosive fighters. Despite them both being impressive talkers, they have remained cordial in the build-up.
Pimblett does, however, promise that he will maintain his winning streak in the octagon against Chandler. And he doesn’t seem to phased by his rival’s power which has put down some formidable rivals in the Bellator and UFC cages.
- Who is Paddy Pimblett? Get to know the ‘baddy’ of MMA who is making his presence felt in UFC
Paddy Pimblett vows not to be knocked out by Michael Chandler at UFC 314
Paddy Pimblett and Michael Chandler are both known as being impressive on the ground, but will be expected to stay on the feet this time around. The American is a renowned wrestler, while his British rival is one of the best grapplers to come out of the UK.
“He’s a unit isn’t he?” Pimblett told ESPN of Chandler. “He’s going to come out and try to knock my head off, I do think he is one of the most entertaining fighters in the UFC because he does come out trying to take your head off swinging overhands, left hooks.
“That’s all anyone’s ever tried to do against me trying to knock me out and no one has ever knocked me out. Michael Chandler is not going to be the first person to do it, like last time I’m going to kick him, keep him on the end of my range and frustrate him.
“I do think I could land a knockout blow as he steps in and brings all his weight forward leaning into a shot. I think I can knock him out or TKO him with leg kicks but I don’t think he’s going to try to take me down because he knows I’d submit him.”
Paddy Pimblett famously declared ‘Scousers don’t get knocked out’ after UFC debut
Pimblett has always had faith in his chin, infamously telling Michael Bisping after his UFC debut that ‘scousers don’t get knocked out’. Luigi Vendramini gave him a hard time and managed to rock him early, before succumbing to shots of his own and being knocked out at the end of the first.
It was actually a callback to a previous interview Pimblett had given in his Cage Warriors days, in which he initially used the phrase. It’s not strictly true as the likes of Tony Bellew in boxing and Darren Till in the UFC have been knocked out, but it went viral across social media.
“You know my saying lad, I’m a scouser, we don’t get knocked out,” he told Bisping in an interview that has been viewed millions of times. “I can take that s— all day.”