One of the prospects that we focused on in our 2022 UFC prospect watch was Paddy “The Baddy” Pimblett (17-3). The former two-vision Cage Warriors champion made his debut with the UFC in 2021.
Pimblett took on Luigi Vendramini in September. It wasn’t a flawless performance from Paddy The Baddy who was hit clean a few times. However, he maintained his composure and then showed off why he’s special.
Pimblett was able to hurt Vendramini bad and went after the finish like a dog on a bone. He went on to score the knockout. His post-fight interview was entertaining and it was so easy to see why so many are high on Paddy The Baddy.
Right now, the UFC is currently working on Pimblett’s next fight. At the moment, there appears to be a lot of momentum regarding him fighting in March when the UFC returns to his homeland of England.
Pimblett’s UFC 2022 Preview
The UFC is currently working on booking Pimblett against Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone (36-16, 2 NC). The proposed matchup would take place in early March. Now, on paper, Cerrone doesn’t look like the best name for Pimblett to face.
Cowboy is currently riding a five-fight losing streak. That streak stretches six fights that included a No Contest. However, that No Contest was initially a draw in a fight that Cowboy was going to lose had Nike Price not been deducted a point.
These two fighters are heading in vastly different directions. One is at the very end of his UFC career when the other has barely started. That said, Cerrone still has a big name and would be a nice win for Pimblett to pick up.
If he goes out there and starches Cowboy, he needs to target guys near the back end of the UFC’s top fifteen. Some names to watch would be guys like Brad Riddell or Diego Ferreira. However, I wouldn’t rule out the UFC giving Pimblett one more tune-up before ranked opponents.
If I was managing Pimblett, I would try to keep him active this year. In my opinion, he should try to get at least three wins this year. If he can pick three wins this year, he would ride a ton of momentum into 2023.
Let’s be clear, Paddy The Baddy is one of the best prospects in the UFC. He’s also the kind of guy who can become a big star for the promotion. He will definitely be someone to pay attention to in 2022.