"Lot of my teammates have been booing while I've been sparring" - Jordan Leavitt on how he's trained himself for a hostile crowd against Paddy Pimblett at UFC London
While speaking to the media ahead of his clash against Paddy Pimblett this weekend, Jordan Leavitt detailed how he has been preparing to overcome the pressures the hostile British crowd will put on him.
Despite having no initial plans to return to the country until next year, the UFC decided to book another event in England just four months after their blockbuster show on March 19. Similar to the event earlier in the year, the UFC London card will be stacked with huge names, rising stars, and potential Fight of the Year candidates.
Leavitt was asked how he is mentally prepared to face somebody of Paddy Pimblett's stature in hostile territory. 'The Monkey King' gave insight into his training camp and how his Syndicate MMA teammates have helped him up to this point:
"A lot of my teammates have been booing while I've been sparring. So, if those you love can boo you and you can kind of drown it out, imagine those I don't even know, or will never know. I don't imagine it's gonna bug me. Plus, you know, boos have a nice powerful sound. I think it's kind of gonna pump me up, I'm kind of excited for the experience. I'll never get it again after this fight."
The 27-year-old will be hoping to earn his third straight win inside the octagon when he faces the Scouser on July 23. He previously claimed an inverted triangle submission victory over Matt Sayles last year and got his hand raised in his subsequent bout in a split-decision win over the tough Trey Ogden.
Check out what Jordan Leavitt had to say about his upcoming fight with Paddy Pimblett in the video below:
Paddy Pimblett's time with the UFC so far
Paddy Pimblett came into the UFC as a 26-year-old with a wealth of experience inside the cage. So, how does his time with the promotion so far stack up to his prior success?
During the heights of his career in Cage Warriors, 'The Baddy' managed to capture the CWFC featherweight title with a TKO win in his hometown of Liverpool. The Next Generation MMA representative then went on to score a decision win during a razor-close outing against current UFC fighter Julian Erosa.
He carried this success into the octagon and quickly became a fan-favorite. Pimblett scored back-to-back first-round finishes of Luigi Vendramini and Rodrigo Vargas after facing adversity against both. This shows that despite needing some work before becoming a complete fighter, Pimblett could end up being a real force in the lightweight division.