Paddy Pimblett will compete in the biggest fight of his UFC career on April 12 when he faces Michael Chandler in the co-main event of UFC 314. Pimblett thinks a win over Chandler puts him one fight away from fighting for the UFC lightweight belt himself. Pimblett recently said that his wish list for that fight is a short one, Dustin Poirier or Charles Oliveira. Pimblett seems flummoxed that Poirier’s plan is to have one more fight before retiring.
Paddy Pimblett On Dustin Poirier’s Retirement Plans
“I’m looking forward to beating him, taking his ranking,” Pimblett said. “And then, personally, I think I’m one fight away from a title shot, beat Charles [Oliveira], or Poirier, and I’m there fighting for the belt.”
“Well he said something about me the other day, didn’t he? Saying that it’s legends only, and said he thinks Chandler will beat me,” Pimblett told ESPN when discussing what’s next for him after UFC 314. “I think he should have more than one fight, he looked good in his last fight. I don’t understand why you’d retire when you look good, but he must be an idiot.
“But yeah, I think I beat Dustin Poirier, so I’d love to fight him.”
Paddy Pimblett On UFC 314
“Every fight, I get underestimated and overlooked,” Pimblett said during the recent UFC 314 pre-fight press conference in Las Vegas. “But I’m getting in there now with someone who’s top 10, someone who’s fought all the legends in the division. He’s fought for the title.
“So finally, I’m going to get in there and when I win, people can’t chat (expletive) – but they will. The goal posts always get moved when I win. People will start saying stuff. But I’m going to be ranked No. 7 once this fight’s over, and I will be in title contention.”
UFC 314 Fight Card: Michael Chandler vs. Paddy Pimblett
Michael Chandler
Michael Chandler (23-9) missed a lot of time over the past few years waiting for a bout opposite Conor McGregor to come together. With that fight looking less likely by the day, Chandler returned to the Octagon on November 2024 to face former UFC champion Charles Oliveira. It was Chandler’s first foray into the cage since a 2022 loss to Dustin Poirier. Oliveira downed Chandler via decision at UFC 309.
Chandler joined the UFC in 2021 after a long and successful tenure with Bellator. As a competitor for that promotion from 2010 through 2020, Chandler was a three-time lightweight champion. He defended the title twice during his first run with the belt and once during his second stint as champ. His third run as Bellator lightweight champ ended with a TKO loss to Patricio “Pitbull” Freire, who is making his UFC debut at UFC 314.
Chandler is 2-4 with the UFC, but outside his 2022 matchup against a fading Tony Ferguson, the 38-year-old has only faced the elite of the division. In addition to his bouts against Poirier and Oliveira, he has met Dan Hooker and Justin Gaethje inside the Octagon.
Chandler’s UFC wins came against Hooker (TKO) and Ferguson (knockout). The former Bellator champ is the No. 7 ranked competitor in the official UFC lightweight rankings.
Paddy Pimblett
Paddy Pimblett (22-3) is a former Cage Warriors lightweight champion. He has slowly been working his way up the UFC rankings since making his promotional debut in September 2021. Now 6-0 with the UFC, Pimblett looks to take a step up in competition against Chandler. Pimblett is coming off a UFC 304 “Performance of the Night” bonus-winning submission win over Bobby Green.
Pimblett had a successful run with the Cage Warriors promotion before he joined the UFC in 2021. During his time with Cage Warriors, which spanned 2013 through 2021, Pimblett won and defended the CW featherweight title and fought for that promotion’s lightweight crown.
Pimblett has been a fan favorite since he made his UFC debut and while some have been critical of the matchmaking the UFC have provided for Pimblett, something he addressed at the UFC 314 pre-fight press conference, Pimblett is in for a big test against Chandler.
Pimblett is the No. 12 ranked UFC 155-pound fighter.
UFC 314 Co-Main Event Opening Odds
UFC 314 takes place on Saturday, April 12 at Kaseya Center in Miami, Florida. In the main event, former UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski and Diego Lopes will battle for the vacant UFC featherweight belt. The UFC 314 fight card streams on ESPN+ pay-per-view. We will have more on that card and Paddy Pimblett, as fight night approaches.