Conor McGregor may have a successor on the UFC’s trash-talking throne, according to this former fighter.
Ever since arriving on MMA’s biggest stage as a highly touted former Cage Warriors champion, Paddy Pimblett has been the latest prospect from across the Atlantic drawing comparisons to the UFC’s first-ever simultaneous two-division champion.
While it remains to be seen whether ‘The Baddy’ can live up to McGregor’s strong accomplishments in the UFC, he has certainly appeared similarly brash and confident when it comes to exchanging words with his rivals.
That’s been evident during Pimblett’s rivalry with Ilia Topuria, and the Scouser’s most recent jabs impressed a man who knows a thing or two about trash talk.
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Chael Sonnen praises Paddy Pimblett’s trash talk as Ilia Topuria back-and-forth continues
Since Pimblett faced off with Topuria at UFC 317 following the Spaniard’s lightweight title win, ‘The Baddy’ has continued to stake his claim for the next shot at the belt.
In his most recent comments targeted at the champ, Pimblett downplayed Topuria’s UFC title run before offering to challenge him in enemy territory at Madrid’s Bernabeu.
Trash-talking legend Chael Sonnen enjoyed what he heard from ‘The Baddy’, so much so that he sees the rising contender as the promotion’s new top dog on the microphone.
“I feel like Paddy’s in pole position (for securing the Topuria fight),” Sonnen said on his Good Guy/Bad Guy show alongside Daniel Cormier.
“He is taking it to another level. He is bringing in the entire country (of Spain)…insulting them.
“He is the new big star on the microphone. I am not even sure when Conor returns — I mean, in all fairness, that would be a very close battle.”
Paddy Pimblett listed as potential Conor McGregor opponent by Brendan Schaub
While Pimblett has his sights on the lightweight gold, be it an immediate shot at Topuria or an eliminator against an opponent such as Justin Gaethje, one former UFC fighter thinks the Scouser is also in the running for a high-profile fight away from the title picture.
Brendan Schaub recently listed ‘The Baddy’ among three opponent options for Conor McGregor’s comeback.
“You get Conor vs Nate Diaz. Michael Chandler has to be on that card, he’s as American as you can get,” Schaub said on The Fighter and The Kid podcast.
“So, you get Conor vs Chandler, or Conor vs Paddy Pimblett,” he added.