Fighter from Tajikistan wants Paddy Pimblett right after UFC debut
Paddy Pimblett is one of the fastest-rising stars in the UFC, and the Liverpudlian's gift of the gab certainly helps sell his hype and seats to his fights. After his last controversial victory over Jared Gordon at UFC 282, it appears lightweight debutant Nurullo Aliev has called out 'The Baddy' for his sophomore fight.
The Tajikistan-born fighter recently made his promotional debut at UFC Vegas 70. He defeated Rafael Alves via majority decision and became the first native-born Tajikistani fighter to win a UFC fight. A graduate of Dana White's Contender Series (DWCS), Aliev earned his contract by securing a first-round knockout against Josh Wick.
The 'Tajik Eagle' is now looking for a matchup against Paddy Pimblett. The 23-year-old recently took to Twitter to post a callout and even tagged UFC president Dana White and matchmaker Sean Shelby to show how serious he was. He wrote:
"So how about me and Paddy next? Let's go @ufc @seanshelby @danawhite."
While Aliev is certainly an exciting lightweight prospect, it is highly unlikely that he will get his wish granted. Paddy Pimblett is reportedly set to undergo ankle surgery after hurting it in his last outing. The Liverpudlian is set to be sidelined until the end of the year and has no intentions of competing anytime soon.
Paddy Pimblett Next Fight: 'The Baddy' states one condition to fight Logan Paul
There is no love lost between UFC lightweight Paddy Pimblett and YouTuber-turned-boxer Logan Paul. The two men have gone back and forth on social media on multiple occasions, with the Liverpudlian even claiming that his Body Fuel energy drink was much healthier than Paul's PRIME energy drink.
Unsurprisingly, 'The Maverick' has repeatedly stated his desire to face Paddy Pimblett in the boxing ring or make his MMA debut against 'The Baddy' in the octagon. Considering Paul's energy drink is now the UFC's official sports drink, the 27-year-old might just get his wish granted someday.
In a recent interview with Mike Bohn of MMA Junkie, Pimblett expressed his consent for a potential future fight but on one major condition. He wants Logan Paul to stop the steroid use and come down to his weight. He stated:
"It’s mad. He called me a clout chaser years ago, and then he’s clout-chasing me all the time... So, if he ever wants to fight in the UFC, he’s more than welcome. Like, I’ll be there waiting for him. He can just get his weight down a bit, come off the steroids, and we’ll fight.”
Watch the full interview below: