AEW champion MJF will attend UFC 282 to watch Paddy Pimblett fight live
Paddy Pimblett was recently labeled the "dollar store Conor McGregor" by AEW pro-wrestling champion MJF on Twitter. The call-out stemmed from All Elite Wrestling's announcement that they would be arriving in the UK in 2023. This prompted Friedman to ignite a beef with arguably England's most popular fighter.
News recently broke that MJF will be in attendance at UFC 282 this weekend, where 'The Baddy' will face Jared Gordon in the co-main event. Combat sports reporter Marc Raimondi posted the following on Twitter:
"AEW champion @The_MJF will be in attendance Saturday night at UFC 282 in Las Vegas on the heels of his beef with Paddy Pimblett, sources told ESPN."
See the tweet below:
AEW champion @The_MJF will be in attendance Saturday night at UFC 282 in Las Vegas on the heels of his beef with Paddy Pimblett, sources told ESPN.
With Paddy Pimblett already threatening to slap Jake Paul if he attends UFC 282 due to the YouTuber's taunts, it will be interesting to see what happens if 'The Baddy' crosses paths with MJF in Las Vegas.
Dana White says Paddy Pimblett has the "it factor", says he will be a massive star
Paddy Pimblett arrived in the UFC just over 12 months ago when he made his debut at UFC Fight Night 191 against Luigi Vendramini. 'The Baddy' has racked up three wins in the promotion in no time at all, with one KO victory and two submission wins. The Scouser was awarded a £1 million contract with Barstool Sports after only one fight in the UFC, and Pimblett's popularity with fans has grown at a steady rate.
'The Baddy' has been able to walk the walk and talk the talk when it comes to fighting. He has been awarded three Performance of the Night bonuses in a row and will be eager to extend his streak against Jared Gordon at UFC 282. Pimblett's ability to connect with fans and deliver magical performances in the octagon has led Dana White to believe that 'The Baddy' could be a UFC superstar. In a recent interview with TMZ Sports, the UFC president said:
"He has that "it-factor" that I always talk about. He's undefeated in the UFC, so if he can keep winning these key fights this kid will be a massive superstar."
Watch the interview below from 1:30:
The "it-factor" that White is referring to is a fighter's ability to attract the masses to the sport of MMA, the ability to captivate an audience. He used the same phrase to describe Conor McGregor and Ronda Rousey in their early years, and now Paddy Pimblett too.