5 reasons why Paddy Pimblett is not the next Conor McGregor
Paddy Pimblett established himself as a potential UFC superstar with a stunning first-round knockout win over Luigi Vendramini in his UFC debut. The former Cage Warriors featherweight champion will look to join the likes of Conor McGregor and Michael Bisping. Both men won UFC gold following domestic success with the talent-breeding promotion.
Paddy Pimblett has often been compared to Conor McGregor owing to a stark similarity in their personalities. According to many fans and pundits, Pimblett is the UFC's next big cash cow, especially considering McGregor stands at a crossroads in his career.
Both Paddy Pimblett and Conor McGregor got Dana White's attention with their stints under the Cage Warriors banner. While Pimblett held the featherweight strap in the promotion, McGregor was a double champ.
However, it might be too early to compare Paddy Pimblett with the 'Notorious' megastar. That's considering the heights the Irishman has reached in his career. While fans might be comparing Pimblett to McGregor, 'The Baddy' is not delusional. Frustrated by the constant comparisons, Paddy Pimblett told Submission Radio:
“It’s not so much annoying because obviously, he is the biggest star the sport has ever seen. So it’s nice in one perspective, but at the same time, it’s annoying because… Conor McGregor is his own man, and I will be never like him, and he will be never like me. I’m one of a kind… You will never gonna get anyone else like me.”
As Paddy Pimblett rises to stardom, let's take a look at five reasons why he is not the next Conor McGregor.
#5. Unlike Paddy Pimblett, Conor McGregor was a double Cage Warriors champion
Conor McGregor was a star in the making even before we got acquainted with him in the UFC. Conor McGregor was a two-division champion for the Cage Warriors promotion. Paddy Pimblett, meanwhile, only held the featherweight strap.
Conor McGregor defeated Dave Hill via submission at Cage Warriors 47 to win the featherweight title. McGregor then moved up to lightweight and won 155-pound gold with a first-round KO win over Ivan Buchinger at Cage Warriors 51.
Also, unlike Paddy Pimblett, Conor McGregor never lost his Cage Warriors title and signed with the UFC as a champion.