Paddy Pimblett believes officials should have deducted points from Justin Gaethje for repeated fouls, which would have made their fight a draw. The fan favorite suffered his first defeat since joining the sport’s biggest promotion last month when Gaethje, a seasoned contender, edged him at UFC 324. All three judges scored the bout in Gaethje’s favor, with two giving a wide 49-46 margin. Pimblett insists the fight was closer and claims multiple eye pokes warranted a point deduction that could have tied the score.
Pimblett sees himself winning rounds three and five
After watching the fight for the first time on a big television at home, Pimblett says his scorecard shows victories in rounds three and five. He shared his reactions on YouTube Sunday, explaining, “If he got a point took off like he should have, that’s a draw… I don’t want to sound bitter, you can’t cry over spilt milk.” He joked that he now understands how Jared Gordon felt after their December 2022 bout, where many argued the American deserved the win. Pimblett had defended that fight’s scorecards before but says his view has softened over time.
“I knew the scorecards weren’t going to be in our favor, that’s why I did the little ‘I don’t know’ gesture to my mum,” he said. “I half knew I’d lost, but my eyes were bright red. I heard 49-46 and thought they all should have been 48-47.”
Respect for Gaethje and his team
Despite his criticism of the scorecards, Pimblett praised Gaethje, his family, and his team. The former BMF champion shared the cage with his family, manager Ali Abdelaziz, and legendary ex-welterweight Kamaru Usman. “Usman came over and told me what I’d been doing to stay in the fight,” Pimblett said. “Ali spoke to me, and everyone around them was dead nice and good sports.”
He added, “Usman told me I’ll come back stronger, and I know I will. Hearing that from someone like him, after fighting a legend like Gaethje, meant a lot. Usman is one of the greatest welterweights ever.” Pimblett concluded, “I know I’m going to be a world champion; it’s just going to happen a little later than expected.”
