Judges' decisions like Paddy Pimblett win are influenced by "star power," claims UFC lightweight
Paddy Pimblett defeated Jared Gordon at UFC 282 in one of the most controversial decision wins in the UFC this year, and the judges' scorecards have been a raging topic of debate among fans over the past few days. Many who watched the bout believe 'Flash' should have won.
Drew Dober recently weighed in on the subject, and the unranked lightweight contender is of the opinion that 'The Baddy's fame and popularity played a big role in how the judges scored the fight.
Dober is all set to face Bobby Green on Saturday at UFC Vegas 66. During his pre-fight media day interview, the Nebraskan was asked for his thoughts on Paddy Pimblett winning the decision unanimously against Gordon. He replied by saying:
"My opinion on the entire matter is that there is something to star power, you know, in the judges' decisions right? We're watching, like, octagon control, effectiveness and all that other stuff, but starpower is something you gotta also get over. So when you're fighting a guy as big as Paddy, you gotta do more than just five more punches."
Watch the full interview below:
Paddy Pimblett is undeniably one of the UFC's fastest-rising stars. His Scouse accent and jovial personality made him a very likable athlete that fans could get behind. He even secured a $1 million deal with Barstool Sports last year.
However, he seems to have lost some stock recently after his controversial podcast episode, his beef with Ariel Helwani, and his reluctance to accept public opinion on his win at UFC 282.
Check out the post below:
Anthony Smith thinks Paddy Pimblett lost against Jared Gordon, says the Liverpudlian "makes a lot of mistakes"
Anthony Smith recently shared his opinion on Paddy Pimblett winning the decision against Jared Gordon at UFC 282, and the 34-year-old claimed that Pimblett may have lost that fight 30-27.
Recently speaking to Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour, 'Lionheart' was asked if he thought 'The Baddy' had won. Smith replied:
"I think he [Paddy Pimblett] lost that fight 30-27. I think he makes a lot of mistakes. His chin's up in the air, he never gets his head off the center line, his hands are down and he's flat footed. He's overly aggressive and he's gotten away with it up to this point because of the caliber of guys that he's fighting."
'Lionheart' claimed that Pimblett would be in big trouble if matched up against an opponent with superior knockout power. Smith further iterated that while he loves Gordon, he doesn't think 'Flash' has the power to stop an opponent as strong as Pimblett.
Watch the full interview below: