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UFC interim lightweight champion Justin Gaethje has questioned Paddy Pimblett’s kicks from their UFC 324 encounter.
Last month, Justin Gaethje was able to defeat Paddy Pimblett to become a two-time UFC interim lightweight champion. He will now, more than likely, go on to try and unify the belts with undisputed champion Ilia Topuria, and it’s likely to go down at the White House in the summer.
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Of course, a lot has been made of Pimblett’s performance, with Gaethje being able to overwhelm him in the striking department. Nobody really knows what’s next for ‘The Baddy’ but if he’s serious about challenging for gold again in the future, he needs to go back to the drawing board and figure out where he went wrong.
In a recent podcast appearance, Gaethje gave his thoughts on a few different parts of Pimblett’s game.
Gaethje’s view on Pimblett’s kicks at UFC 324
“I’m just consistently moving [around him] so how’s he going to shoot?” Gaethje said about Pimblett’s lack of takedown attempts. “He was kicking me but he kicked like a bitch so I walked through that. Once I figured I could walk through it, then it was money.”
“He’s crafty as f*ck,” Gaethje said. “If I sit out here [on the outside] and fight him the whole time, it’s a terrible way to fight him. He’s going to be flashy and he’s going to win.”
“I did grapple! I had to win. Had to win,” Gaethje said. “Every time I put my hooks in, I’m done. I get too high. Even wrestling my whole life, I never put the legs in. Got in trouble every time. I’ll never put hooks in. I get too high consistently and I give up position. I’m in such a good position and I’m landing heavy shots, doing damage and they’re like ‘f*ck this.’”
Quotes via MMA Fighting
Do you agree with Gaethje’s assessment of Pimblett’s kicks? Let us know your thoughts on this in the comments below, BJPENN Nation!
