Can Paddy the Baddy continue his UFC win streak?
We’re not far from UFC London, and while he’s not headlining, many people will be tuning in to see if Paddy “The Baddy” Pimblett can continue his UFC win streak. He’s taken the sport by storm over the past few months with his brash attitude and impressive performances in the ring. His attitude towards his health away from the octagon has caused a stir, with some fighters claiming he will never be UFC champion unless he changes his approach. Not since Conor McGregor have we seen such a personality enter the sport – let’s hope he can end up a bit more stable than Conor has!
Paddy’s biggest test of his career so far will be against his next opponent, Jordan Leavitt. It promises to be an interesting match of styles, as both seem to favour submissions as their favoured method to end the fight – although Paddy doesn’t seem to mind standing up with his opponents. They’re both exactly the same age, 27, have a reach of 73″, and are nearly the same height (Leavitt being one inch taller than Paddy). It’s only in their fighting stances where you start to see a difference, Paddy fighting in the orthodox stance, whereas Leavitt favours the southpaw stance.
While different in the total number of fights, their fight records bear some striking similarities when you break them down. Paddy boasts an 18-3-0 record, with a 2-0 record in the UFC so far. He’s had 6 KO’s and 8 submissions in his 18 wins, with only 5 of his 21 fights going to decision. Similarly, Leavitt has a 10-1-0 record, with a 3-1 record in the UFC so far. He’s had 1 KO and 6 submissions in his 10 wins, with 4 of his fights going to decision, one of which he lost.
The interesting thing to take away from this is that Leavitt hasn’t been knocked out or submitted in his professional career – something that Paddy routinely does to his opponents. A lot of experts believe that the crux of the fight is whether or not Paddy can finish the fight before the end of the third round. Leavitt has an impressive 75% win rate when the bout goes to a decision, and while Paddy’s isn’t bad at 66%, we get the feeling he’d much rather finish Leavitt off before then.
Paddy seems to think that’s exactly what he’s going to do. A lot of noise from the Pimblett camp is suggesting that the fight won’t even make it to the first bell, let alone the third! Paddy said in a vlog on his YouTube page, “I’m gonna knock him out in the first five minutes, more than likely. He will wilt under the pressure in the first or the early second, and I’m gonna finish him”. His coach shared a similar sentiment, predicting Paddy to finish the fight within the first round. We wouldn’t expect anything less from a fighter as confident (arrogant?) as Paddy, and it’s this confident attitude that’s won him fans all over the world, from the UK, to the USA, even as far afield as Thailand!
On the other hand, Leavitt doesn’t think the fight will be very interesting. In fact, he’s even offered to chill with Paddy after the fight! The consensus amongst experts seems to be that the two will, in effect, cancel each other out with their similar styles. In previous fights against grapplers, Leavitt’s fights haven’t been a great watch, so unless Paddy stays on his feet for the majority of the bout, we can expect to see something similar. Paddy’s previous UFC bouts have been against fighters with losing records, and Leavitt thinks that his superior skills will shine through and will give Paddy his biggest test yet.
The line on this fight has Paddy as the big favourite, with his price currently sitting at -295, whereas Leavitt is at +220. While a lot of people are fans of Paddy and want him to win, is he that big of a favourite against a fighter with the qualities of Leavitt? Leavitt to win by decision is as high as +700, which may be worth a punt if you think he can neutralise Pimblett’s game. Many sports betting sites offer odds on the fight, so make sure to shop around to find the best lines. The best online bookmakers even give detailed guides on how to start betting online, as well as explaining the different promotions and bonuses on offer so you’ll be in the best position to start your betting journey. Whether you’re in the UK supporting your home fighter or in Thailand just enjoying the spectacle, it’s important to read reviews to find the best พนันกีฬาออนไลน์ (online sports betting) site to make your bets.
While it’s going to be a close fight, and Leavitt is a calibre of fighter that Paddy hasn’t fought before, we think that the home crowd advantage will give him just enough to get him over the line.
