Paddy Pimblett is set to compete in the final fight of his UFC contract against King Green at UFC 304, with commentator Jon Anik confident that Pimblett will re-sign with the organization due to his potential and ongoing improvement.
Paddy Pimblett recently revealed that he’s about to compete in the final fight of his UFC deal. Lead commentator Jon Anik, however, is confident Pimblett’s long-term future lies inside the octagon.
Pimblett will face King Green in the featured bout of UFC 304 this Saturday in Manchester, England. “The Baddy” entering free agency with a win against a top-15 fighter in the sport’s toughest division would give him some leverage. Anik sees Pimblett re-signing with the organization and wouldn’t be surprised if he does so before making the walk this weekend.
“I don’t know if it’s something we should lean all that heavily into,” Anik told MMA Fighting. “I think the business that Paddy Pimblett is trying to accomplish as a mixed martial arts athlete is going to happen in the UFC.”
“So I’m pretty confident that they can strike a deal, and maybe they would even do something before the fight with King Green on July 27.”
Pimblett is 5-0 competing for the UFC. But Green — who dominated Jim Miller via unanimous decision at UFC 300 in April — will certainly be his toughest test yet.
While Pimblett has many detractors, Anik isn’t one of them. He has seen Pimblett’s hunger for knowledge and overall improvement.
“I just believe in him — maybe more than some of the MMA masses do — I believe in his appetite for improvement,” Anik explained. “As he gets older, there will be greater commitment and maturity that’ll unleash an even greater beast. He’s got a lot of athletic gifts, power, and he’s a very good grappler; plus, he’s a big game player.”
“The Jared Gordon fight and other appearances have him underrated right now relative to his skills because style points haven’t always been there compared to the hype. But I can’t wait to see what he does against King Green — who looked so fast against Jim Miller. Take it from my broadcast partners: We were wowed at UFC 300. So I think it’s going to be an interesting matchup, and I hope Paddy Pimblett’s future, long term, is in the UFC.”