Former UFC bantamweight champion Sean O’Malley says Michael Chandler will be coming up against a “beast” when he shares the Octagon with Paddy Pimblett.
The two ranked lightweights are set to do battle in the co-main event of this weekend’s UFC 314 pay-per-view, slated for the Kaseya Center in Miami, Florida.
While Pimblett looks to extend his perfect UFC run en route to a further climb up the ladder at 155 pounds, Chandler plans on reviving his championship ambitions after Charles Oliveira sent him to a 2-4 UFC record last November.
During a recent episode of his TimboSugarShow alongside coach Tim Welch, O’Malley outlined his thoughts on Saturday’s co-headliner. “Sugar” had positive words for both men but laid particularly heavy praise on Paddy Pimblett.
“Paddy vs. Michael Chandler is such an interesting fight,” O’Malley said. “Michael Chandler is such a gangster for taking that fight. If he beats Paddy, that’s still a big win — if. Maybe not in some people’s eyes, but Paddy is f**king skilled. What he did to Bobby Green was super (impressive).
“It’s a big fight. Michael Chandler is a beast for taking that fight, Paddy’s a beast. I mean, Paddy, what he wants to do is climb the rankings. I think that fight makes so much sense,” O’Malley continued. “I don’t know who wins either. I feel like it’s gonna be very competitive.”
When fans last Saw Pimblett in action, he ran through King Green in quick time at UFC 304 last July. And having choked the veteran unconscious, “The Baddy” enters his first outing of 2025 ranked #12 in the lightweight division.
