One of the clear highlights of the UFC 305 pay-per-view this past weekend was the lightweight contest between Mateusz Gamrot and Dan Hooker.
Given Gamrot's position in the division and recent wins, many expected him to get this victory to take one more step closer to a title shot. However, "The Hangman" had other plans.
He managed to win a split decision and a top five ranking spot following a great clash between them, which sent the Perth crowd crazy after witnessing the Fight of the Night bonus winner.
One fellow lightweight contender who had his eye on this clash was Paddy Pimblett. "The Baddy" recently entered the top 15 at 155 pounds with a submission win over King Green at UFC 304.
He gave his live reaction to the fight on his YouTube channel, where before the first bell sounded, he teed up the idea of meeting either man down the line.
I could end up fighting one of these couldn't I?
Paddy Pimblett Agreed With Decision, Tees Up Dan Hooker Encounter In The Future
Like many, Pimblett agreed that Gamrot was the favorite going in. He did, however, make a point of stating that Hooker shouldn't have been such a big underdog due to the caliber of opponents he has faced.
"The Baddy" wasn't surprised to see "Gamer" get takedowns, but over the course of the fight, he watched as "The Hangman" kept pouring on the pressure with his forward momentum.
The fight was a close one, which the scorecards and Pimblett's reaction seconded. But the former Cage Warriors champion did agree that Hooker did enough to get his hand raised.
While there may be 10 ranking spots between them, "The Baddy" would be open to testing himself against the fan favorite in the future.
Fight of the night so far of what I've watched. Let's see the decision anyway. I reckon Hooker, lad, to be honest. 29-28 Gamrot. 29-28 Hooker, upset, Dan Hooker back in the top five," Pimblett said. "Could be a nice fight for me in the future.