UFC commentator John Gooden recently voiced his astonishment after Paddy Pimblett revealed he is contemplating a move to influencer boxing as he approaches the final fight of his UFC contract.
"The Baddy" is poised to go head-to-head against King Green on the main card of UFC 304. The pay-per-view will take place on July 27 at the Co-op Live arena in Manchester, England, giving Pimblett the opportunity to shine in front of his home crowd.
Pimblett is gearing up for his sixth UFC bout, which will also mark the end of his initial contract with the MMA promotion. A victory against "King" could launch him into the lightweight rankings.
However, the 29-year-old Scouser recently hinted in an interview with MMA Junkie that he might leave the UFC for lucrative boxing matches against YouTube influencers, suggesting he could earn more money outside the Octagon.
Pimblett's remarks have left Gooden utterly perplexed, prompting him to question what could drive one of the UFC's most promising prospects to even consider boxing YouTubers...
Gooden Trusts Pimblett's Hard-Earned UFC Spot Will Keep Him Grounded
During a recent interview with MiddleEasy, Gooden reacted to Pimblett's notion of leaving the UFC for a boxing career. The British UFC commentator stressed that "The Baddy" needs to secure a win in his upcoming fight to gain leverage in negotiations for his second contract with the promotion.
He believes a victory would significantly strengthen Pimblett's bargaining power when discussing his future with the UFC.
It would just hurt the numbers right if he doesn't come away with a win against King Green," Gooden said. "Then you know that you're negotiating; you're going to the table with a quite different approach. I would imagine I was surprised to hear him talk about boxing.
I don't know if it was just something that had been across his socials like 30 minutes before he jumped on whatever it was and then spoke about it.
Gooden further elaborated, praising Pimblett as a high-caliber MMA fighter who has made a tremendous effort to reach the UFC. He mentioned that Pimblett shouldn't squander this hard-earned opportunity so easily.
Paddy, for me, is one of the most dynamic grapplers that we've seen come out of the UK. His ability to take the back is phenomenal, and his finishing ability with submissions is his top draw, so seeing him go into boxing is like, really, are you sure? I'm a little confused about that, and deep down, you know Paddy had a."
"I think he turned down the UFC in the past in order to really make a good, conscientious run with enough kinds of veteran-ship to make a run in the UFC, so I know it means something for him to be in the organization.
Pimblett is riding high after securing a unanimous decision victory over Tony Ferguson at UFC 296 last December. Since joining the UFC in September 2021, the Englishman has racked up an impressive five-fight win streak.
Given his strong fan base in Europe and his status as a rising star, it wouldn't make sense for the promotion to let him go easily. Pimblett's popularity and potential make him a valuable asset for the UFC.