Paddy Pimblett got badly dropped before landing fight-ending elbow that left opponent a bloody mess

03/30/2025 05:55 PM

Paddy Pimblett’s supreme confidence in his chin comes from a lifetime of eating big shots.

‘The Baddy’ is ‘100 percent’ sure he will be able to take Michael Chandler’s power when they clash in the UFC 314 co-main event on April 12.

No one has ever been able to knock him out, but the UFC lightweight contender was choked unconscious in shock 35-second loss to an ex-soldier, Cameron Else, when they clashed at Cage Warriors 60 in October 2013.

Still, the majority of Paddy Pimblett‘s opponents were intent on trying to take his head off, rather than taking the risk of going to the ground with a submission specialist.

• READ MORE: Who is Paddy Pimblett? Get to know the 'baddy' of MMA who is making his presence felt in UFC

Paddy Pimblett vs Stephen Martin revisited

13 months after his first MMA loss, Pimblett had re-established himself as Britain’s best MMA prospect.

Back-to-back wins set him up for a featherweight debut against a 2-2 fighter called Stephen Martin.

On paper, it was a fight Pimblett should breeze through, but that’s not how things played out at Cage Warriors 73 in November 2014.

Just 15 seconds into the fight, Martin landed a massive left hook before following it up with a straight right to drop his opponent.

Pimblett fell to the floor like a bag of potatoes, but he amazingly managed to avoid getting KO’d.

The 30-year-old Englishman immediately initiated a grappling exchange that allowed him to clear his head and work his way back into the fight.

Ultimately, Pimblett needed just one shot right at the end of the first frame. A huge elbow left Martin with a gnarly gash on his face, and it quickly became clear that he would not be allowed to carry on with the cut.

Paddy Pimblett eyes title shot

Pimblett has no issues about fighting for five rounds against Chandler at UFC 314.

That's mainly because he doesn't think ‘Iron’ will survive more than 10 minutes in the cage with him.

"When I got asked to do a five-round fight, they were not sure if I would say yes," Pimblett told TNT Sports.

"But, yeah, obviously, as he is getting finished in two, it does not matter how many it's scheduled for. Everyone can expect a finish come April 12."

Pimblett believes beating Chandler will put him within touching distance of a 155lb title shot.

He added: "The plan is to beat Michael Chandler, then fight again in Abu Dhabi in October.

"Hopefully, I get to fight someone in the top four, top five, and then I can ask for a title shot in 2026."