Paddy Pimblett explains why he would choose Anfield main event over a UFC title win
UFC lightweight Paddy Pimblett has explained the importance of his desire to fight at Anfield Stadium one day.
Last September, Paddy Pimblett announced himself to the UFC audience in style with an emphatic knockout win over Luigi Vendramini. He had to face some adversity but ultimately, “The Baddy” got the job done with the kind of ruthless efficiency that’s going to make him such a dangerous foe for so many at 155 pounds.
Alas, Pimblett has ambitions that exceed even winning the title – as he noted during a recent interview with ESPN.
“I’ll be honest with you, that’s [Anfield] not gonna be until like 2024, 2025. It’s not. I’m gonna win three fights in 2022, and then I can start demanding it when I’m 4-0 in the UFC and working towards a ranking. That’s when I can start saying it. But they’re not gonna give me it until I’m in like the top 10, or if it’s a number one contender fight, something like that, I know they’re not. It’s gonna be like 70,000 people, lad – 80,000 people. It’s gonna be sick. But that’s happening, I’ve said it. People were asking me on my Twitch last night, people kept saying it’s gonna be like a UFC Liverpool in London [in March], why don’t they just do it in the Echo Arena? I’m like, because it’s too small. I filled the Echo Arena out on my own for Cage Warriors, nevermind with the UFC name attached to it and other high profile fighters fighting on it like Till, Molly and Aspinall.”
Brett Okamoto proceeded to ask Pimblett whether he’d rather be a UFC champion or headline a UFC card at Anfield before he retires.
“I’d probably pick Anfield. That’s for my people, do you know what I mean? That would be my people there watching me. Obviously I”m in this sport to become a UFC world champion, I’m in it for the legacy and what I leave behind. But, I think I’d leave a better legacy in my city if I headlined at Anfield for one fight rather than winning a title abroad.”
Will we see Paddy Pimblett headline a UFC card at Anfield? Let us know your thoughts down in the comments, BJPENN Nation!