December 10th, 2022 was the day we saw what popularity, notoriety and a strong fanbase can do for you in the octagon when Paddy Pimblett “defeated” Jared Gordon in a match Jared clearly won.
The two lightweights have been amicable towards eachother since then, but the MMA community and fans not so much. This also has to do with the lies Paddy has stated in the media regarding his issue with Ariel Helwani and getting people to pay HIM for interviews.
A lot compared this with the fight #1 ranked Suga Sean O’Malley had with #3 ranked Petr Yan at UFC 280.
This was a very close match where O’Malley answered a lot of questions about his heart, skill and recovery. Also, the difference between this match is that Sean actually won it fair and square.
There was a clear view that this match could have gone anyway being razor thin close, but in the case of Jared Gordon vs Paddy Pimblett, Gordon clearly won, not in the eyes of The Three Stooges ringside though.
O’Malley when speaking with Bisping on the BYM Podcast detailed his thoughts on Paddy’s last fight stating,
“No one really knew what a robbery was until we saw Paddy Pimblett fight”
Telling Bisping that he was in the crowd during the fight and how he leaned over to his friend and said they probably gave it to Paddy even though Jared won.
O’Malley, like the rest of us does not really understand the judging criteria said,
“I don’t know what it is — if the judges are watching in the lead up the [UFC] embedded — and in their mind if they are thinking its scored in a different way“.
He sounds as confused as we all are.
O’Malley ended the topic saying,
“he ate a lot of big shots, I don’t know, I thought he lost“.
Image: Courtesy of UFC.
