Din Thomas, a veteran UFC coach, recently expressed skepticism about Paddy Pimblett‘s ability to become a UFC champion, despite admiring his toughness and resilience. Pimblett faced Justin Gaethje for the interim lightweight championship at UFC 324, enduring a grueling five-round battle in which he absorbed significant punishment before ultimately losing by decision.
With a professional MMA record of 23 wins and 4 losses, including 7 wins and 1 loss inside the UFC octagon, Pimblett showed heart through the tough fight. Gaethje brought a record of 27-5 in MMA and 10-5 in the UFC into the bout. Although Pimblett is known for his tenacity, Thomas remains unconvinced this trait alone can carry him to the top.
Insights Into Pimblett’s Fighting Style and Durability
Thomas praised Pimblett’s endurance and conditioning, noting that his approach in the Gaethje fight was consistent with his past performances rather than surprising. He pointed out that while Pimblett isn’t the most technically refined boxer, his survival skills inside the cage set him apart.
“I was impressed with Paddy’s durability and his conditioning,” Thomas told MMA Junkie. “I don’t know why people were so shocked at Paddy’s game plan. How else did he ever fight before? When you think about it, how else did he ever fight before? When he fought Michael Chandler, he took him down in the third round after he was already hurt. But the only other times they were ever on the ground in that fight against Michael Chandler was when Chandler took him down and he swept him and reversed positions.
“So it’s not like Paddy Pimblett has always fought with this crazy style where he’s stunting on you on his feet, where he’s outboxing guys on the feet and then he’s taking them down. Paddy Pimblett fights the way Paddy Pimblett fights. He’s a survivalist. He survives the onslaughts. He gets taken down. He’s great off of his back. He’s never been the best boxer. He hits pretty hard. He runs forward pretty recklessly. But I wasn’t surprised with the way he fought Gaethje or was disappointed with his skill set. That’s the skill set that I knew he had. I was more so surprised with his chin and his durability and how determined he was to win that fight despite being a bit out skilled.”
Concerns Over Pimblett’s Ability to Defeat Top Competitors
While acknowledging Pimblett’s popularity and entertainment value, Thomas stressed that the fighter’s ceiling might limit his chances of capturing a UFC title. He expressed doubt about Pimblett overcoming the elite fighters currently at the top of the division.
“I don’t see him beating any of them guys,” Thomas said. “I didn’t see him beating any of them guys before this fight, I don’t see him beating any of them guys after the fight, even though I was impressed by his determination to win and his durability. I was impressed with that. Again, his ceiling is his ceiling and he’s still going to be a fun guy. He’s still going to be a fun guy to watch fight.
“But you match him up and give him a lot of fun fights, he’s going to carry Liverpool on his back, man. He’s going to carry the U.K. on his back. And he’s still going to be a lot of fun. There’s a lot of fun matchups for him. Will he be UFC champion? Highly doubt that unless I see something different. But it’s a discipline issue. He’s got to go back to the drawing board and figure those things out.”
Future Prospects: Popularity vs. Championship Potential
Pimblett remains one of the UFC’s crowd favorites, known for his spirited attitude and willingness to absorb punishment while pressuring his opponents. Despite this, Din Thomas emphasizes that being an exciting fighter is not equivalent to being a champion. Pimblett will need to refine his skills and address his weaknesses if he hopes to reach the pinnacle of the lightweight division.
The Liverpool fighter’s ability to evolve his game beyond sheer toughness will determine his trajectory within the UFC ranks. Until then, his reputation as a formidable entertainer and local hero continues to grow, but the question of whether he can become a titleholder remains unresolved.
