Liverpool lightweight Paddy Pimblett is relishing the chance to meet UFC president Dana White for the first time after making a statement on debut in Las Vegas last weekend.
A lot of attention was on Pimblett at the UFC Apex and he did not disappoint, recovering quickly after being staggered by Luigi Vendramini to sensationally stop the Brazilian later on in an absorbing first round.
He was awarded a performance bonus after UFC Fight Night 191, where fellow Britons Tom Aspinall, Molly McCann and Jack Shore also prevailed, and was congratulated by matchmaker Sean Shelby before returning to his hotel to find an assortment of gifts from White.
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The UFC boss may not have been in attendance to witness a fighter who has twice snubbed his organisation in the past before joining this year, but Pimblett is ready to leave a lasting impact when he does come face-to-face with White.
“I spoke to Sean Shelby after it, he shook my hand and said ‘congratulations’,” Pimblett said.
“Dana wasn’t there at the show but he sent us a little present to the hotel after, me, Jack and Molly, and some t-shirts and that and said well done. I haven’t spoken to him personally yet but I can’t wait to speak to him.
“I make an impression with everyone. People don’t forget meeting me. I won’t have to try to make an impression, I just will, it’s just the way I am.
“I don’t act different. A lot of MMA fighters nowadays put personas on, I’m not one of them. What you see is what you get, I’m no different whether I’ve got 10 cameras on me or I’m sitting with the dog, that’s just the way I am.”
Pimblett claimed his 17th win from 20 mixed martial arts fights on Saturday but while he has lofty goals going forwards he insisted he will not get carried away by his latest display.
“I knew that I was going to steal the show and everyone would be talking about me afterwards,” the 26-year-old added.
“But years ago when I was 21 I let it all go to my head, I thought I was better than I was, I thought I was the next best thing since sliced bread and I didn’t have to train. But I’ll be back in the gym on Monday.
“If you don’t want to become a world champion you’re in the wrong sport. I’m not delusional, but it doesn’t matter who you put in front of me, I’m always going to believe that I’m going to win.”
Pimblett – who is confident of shaking off a thumb injury he sustained against Vendramini to fight in either late November or early December, possibly in the UK – has drawn comparisons with Irish superstar Conor McGregor.
“It’s obviously nice to be compared to the biggest name the sport’s ever seen,” Pimblett added.
“You can understand why people are doing it. Our personalities, we’re very polarising, you either like us or you hate us, we’ve come from Cage Warriors, we both had the featherweight belt.
“But me and Conor are two different entities altogether. He’s Conor McGregor and I’m Paddy the Baddy. In a few years our paths might cross but for now there’s not really any point in even mentioning us in the same sentence.”
