UFC lightweight standout Paddy Pimblett said that he is open to fighting UFC superstar Conor McGregor at welterweight.
Pimblett returns to the Octagon on July 11 at UFC 329 when he battles Benoit Saint Denis in a key lightweight bout. In the main event of the evening, McGregor returns from his five-year layoff to battle rival Max Holloway in a rematch.
Depending on what happens in both Pimblett and McGregor’s fights, the Scouser said he is open to fighting the Irishman next, and he’s willing to do so on McGregor’s terms, meaning up at a higher weight class.
Paddy Pimblett Interested in Conor McGregor Welterweight Fight
Speaking to UFC Hall of Famer Demetrious Johnson in a recent interview, Pimblett said that he is open to fighting McGregor in a welterweight bout.
“I want to win this lightweight belt, defend it, and then I’m going to eventually move up to welterweight. I’d love to get the rematch with Justin (Gaethje). Arman’s probably in front of me. I know he wants a rematch with Charles, so Charles is probably in front of me. I would like to fight again before the end of the year. If Conor McGregor needs a welterweight opponent before the end of the year, I’m game,” Pimblett said (via MMAjunkie.com).
According to Pimblett, the weight won’t be an issue for him because he is notorious for blowing up between fights, anyway, so he doesn’t think McGregor would have that much of a size advantage at 170 lbs.
“I normally get to 190-195, but as I say, I get back to the octagon at 185. (When) I cut to 155, I’ll do about 12 pounds overnight, something like that, and then within an hour or two hours of the weigh-in, I’m back up to 170 off just drinking. Then I’m back to 185 the next day,” Pimblett said.
Conor McGregor Returns at UFC 329
After five long years away from the Octagon, McGregor returns to the Octagon next month at UFC 329 when he battles Holloway, whom he defeated 13 years ago.
It is really hard to know how McGregor will look in his comeback fight. He has looked good in his training videos posted on social media, but who knows how that will translate into his performance inside the cage.
We all know that McGregor has legitimate knockout power, but Holloway is a fairly durable fighter despite his knockout loss to Ilia Topuria two years ago. If McGregor can land a big blow, then he can KO Holloway.
Otherwise, Holloway will have the far superior cardio, so if McGregor can’t get an early knockout and this fight gets extended, it puts the Irishman at a real risk of gassing out and getting finished by Holloway late.
It will certainly be interesting to see how McGregor fares in his return to the cage after so many years away, but either way, it’s going to be a spectacle.
With McGregor vs. Holloway 2 and Pimblett vs. Saint Denis both on UFC 329, it’s the card of the summer, and one that MMA fans can’t miss.
Paddy Pimblett Open to Fighting Conor McGregor at Welterweight