English MMA Champ Wants To Be The Best

English Cage Warriors featherweight champ Paddy Pimblett has drawn a ton of comparisons to UFC lightweight champ Conor McGregor, as the 22-year-old’s confidence and early following rivals that of ‘The Notorious One.”’

While McGregor is motivated to step into the Octagon for the hefty paycheck he collects at the end of the show, ‘The Baddy’ finds himself driven by a completely different factor – being the best in the world (quotes via MMA Junkie):

“I don’t like them comparisons,” Pimblett said. “I’m sick of getting told I’m like Conor McGregor. I’m nothing like him. Nothing at all. We’re completely different people.

“He’s obsessed with money. I’m not. I’m obsessed with being pound-for-pound best in the world. He wants to go fight Floyd Mayweather – well, make it sound like he’s going to fight Floyd Mayweather. Forget about him. We’re talking about me.”

Pimblett is on a nine-fight winning streak since suffering the first loss of his mixed martial arts (MMA) career, and is set to defend his 145-pound title against Nad Narimani in the main event of Saturday’s (April 1, 2017) Cage Warriors 82 event. His last performance inside the cage saw him take home a unanimous decision win over Julian Erosa in his first title defense.

At the ripe young age of 22 the Englishman is approaching the final fight on his Cage Warriors contract, and although he will entertain any offer made from the UFC during free agency, he isn’t too worried about getting his shot on the big stage just yet:

“I am only 22,” Pimblett said. “A lot of fighters don’t get into the UFC until they’re like 26, 28. We’ll see what happens. I’ll definitely be in the UFC in the next year or two. But my contract’s up after this fight, so we’ll see what offers come in. We’ll see what organizations come in with offers who want my signature.

“I’m down to see what offers come in, but it is all about the UFC. It’s not just about the money. I want to be recognized as the best in the world. To do that, I will be doing it in the UFC, but you never know what happens in the next year.

“I’m getting a nice paycheck. I can’t say how much, but I am getting a nice paycheck, and it’s sound. The UFC will have to some in with a nice offer, first fight. I have to tell Dana to get his checkbook out.”