Paddy Pimblett, a popular English lightweight, will face his hardest challenge yet when he makes his pay-per-view debut later this year.
The promotion confirmed Saturday that “The Baddy” will face 24-fight veteran Jared “Flash” Gordon at UFC 282 on December 10.
Within the span of just three UFC outings, the Liverpool native has amassed a sizable fan base. Pimblett has submitted all three of his UFC opponents, including two in the first round.
Since his last bout in July, The Baddy (19-3) has been eyeing the UFC 282 date. The 27-year-old has previously battled in Las Vegas, but never in front of a crowd. His UFC debut took held in front of a limited crowd at the Apex facility in Las Vegas. Other than that, both of his previous fights took place at London’s O2 Arena.
Pimblett will face Gordon (19-5), an experienced fighter who has been fighting professionally since 2011. Gordon, 34, joined the UFC in 2017 and has a 7-4 record. In 2019, he was defeated by former lightweight champion Charles Oliveira. Except for one, all of his UFC victories went to his room.
Gordon’s most recent fight was at UFC 278 when he defeated Leonardo Santos. After the match, he expressed his wish to face Paddy Pimblett.
“(Paddy Pimblett) called me out after his last fight. I really like him. Actually, I think he’s great for the sport,” Gordon said. “I think he’s preaching a good message. I think between the two of us we can raise a lot of awareness for mental health.”
Since signing with the UFC in 2021 and winning fans over with his explosive fighting style, Pimblett has emerged as one of the most intriguing prospects in the sport.
