Getty UFC Announcer Michael Bisping.
UFC commentator and analyst Michael Bisping gave his take on whether Paddy Pimblett will face a real test in his next outing with Jared Gordon.
The fan-favorite Scouser is set to take on Gordon at UFC 282 on Dec. 10 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. He’s coming off a hard-fought win over Jordan Leavitt in his last outing at UFC London in July. It marked his third victory in as many outings under the banner, all coming by way of finishes. Pimblett, a former Cage Warriors champion, entered the promotion with massive buzz, unlike other prospects.
Pimblett drew early comparisons to former two-division champion Conor McGregor, still the biggest name in the sport. However, there are doubts about whether Pimblett could back up the hype and compete with the best fighters.
Ahead of Pimblett’s return to the octagon, former middleweight champion Bisping shared his thoughts on whether Gordon would prove a real challenge for ‘The Baddy’ in his return to action.
“Jared Gordon, this man’s no walk in the park. He’s going to be a tough fight for Paddy,” said Bisping in a video on his YouTube channel. “He’s got a good coach, tons of training partners and he’s got a lot of momentum behind him.”
Bisping Says It Will Be an Interesting Fight Due to Similar Grappling Expertise
‘The Count’ detailed the stylistic matchup, comparing Gordon and Pimblett’s similar grappling attributes.
“He’s a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu so that’s going to be interesting. That is one of Paddy’s very strong areas,” he said. “That is what he likes to do. He’s known for his submissions, he’s known for flying triangles. He’s known for a lot of fancy stuff. But Jared Gordon, I believe has the ability to take him down and stifle the ground attack of Paddy Pimblett on the floor.
“When it comes to wrestling, Jared’s probably got the advantage there. When it comes to striking though I give Paddy ‘The Baddy’ the advantage. I give him the advantage in momentum. I give him the advantage in charisma for sure because there’s not many as charismatic as him. But the confidence is a big thing coming into this one.”
Bisping Believes It’s the Right Step Up in Competition for Pimblett
While it may not be the toughest opponent available, Bisping thinks it would be the right step up in competition for Pimblett as he continues to grow in the UFC.
“As I said, he’s a tremendous grappler. He’s got heavy hands and he’s beaten some very good competition in the UFC so far. This is an intriguing matchup. I think Jared Gordon is probably going to approach it from a wrestling standpoint. We might see Paddy try and keep the fight on the feet. But we just don’t know.
“What I do know is that this is the step up in competition that makes sense. Of course, we’re not going to throw Paddy to a top five, top ten guy just yet. But he does need to progress. Jared Gordon is a good logical step up. Both guys have a lot to gain. If Paddy can get a win here, that’ll be four in a row in the UFC; against Jared Gordon, by far the biggest win.
“For Gordon, if he can derail the hype train, steal a little bit of his stardom and then win five out of his last six, well then, he is doing big things as well.”