Paddy Pimblett was pleasantly surprised by how smoothly his fight against King Green unfolded at UFC 304 in Manchester, England. In what was arguably the best performance of his UFC career, Pimblett submitted Green with a triangle-armbar combination in the very first round, a stunning outcome for the lightweight showdown.
The unexpected turn began when Green initiated a takedown early in the bout, a move that caught Pimblett off guard. “Yeah, I was surprised he shot in at all,” Pimblett stated at his post-fight press conference. “He’s had some brilliant stand-up fights with people. The Jim Miller fight, he stood with Jalen Turner, he stood three rounds with [Rafael] Fiziev and won the last round. People kept talking about that in the build-up to this. So yeah, I was surprised, but as I say, everyone underestimates me just because I look like a 14-year-old girl.”
Despite being a well-respected veteran and ranked No. 15 in the UFC lightweight rankings, many thought Green would have the advantage on the feet. However, Pimblett proved otherwise, confidently keeping Green at bay while demonstrating effective striking. “It was great!” Pimblett said. “As I said all week, people thought I was going to come straight in and shoot, and I told you all I didn’t need to. People underestimate my striking and don’t think I can strike. I kept him at the end of my range, on the end of my jab, using my kicks. I didn’t even get the chance to throw a head kick!
“I leg kicked him, he shot in, and I capitalized. Guillotine, switched to triangle, and I ended up taking the arm as well. I thought the ref was a little slow, to be honest. I think he was unconscious for a few seconds before I took the arm because I jumped out of the cage and went wild for about 30 seconds. By the time I got back in the cage, he was still lying there unconscious.”
This fight marked the first time Green has ever been submitted in the UFC, and Pimblett expressed concern for Green’s well-being, noting an audible crunch when he applied the arm submission. “No bad blood at all,” he emphasized. “In this game, I like to be respectful. We’re fighting to put food on the table for our families, and when his arm went, I felt it—hopefully, it isn’t too bad. I know he likes to fight as much as he can, so hopefully it won’t be a bad injury, and he can be back soon. It’s nothing but respect for Bobby. I hope we can see each other back at the hotel and share a pint or something.”
With this victory, Pimblett now positions himself firmly within the UFC’s top 15 lightweights, putting him in the title hunt. Following the fight, he called for a matchup with Renato Moicano, who is scheduled to fight Benoit Saint Denis at UFC Paris on September 28. Pimblett emphasized his interest in this matchup: “He’s obviously ranked above me as well, but the build-up would be hilarious. I think a season of The Ultimate Fighter with me and him as coaches would be comedy gold.”
Credit: MMA Fighting
