"He could become something way more than Conor McGregor" - Dan Hardy believes Paddy Pimblett can be the biggest star the UFC has ever had, but on one condition

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Paddy Pimblett (L) Dan Hardy (R) [Credits: Instagram @theufcbaddy @danhardymma]

On the latest episode of The MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani, Dan Hardy joined the show to discuss UFC London and spoke tremendously of Paddy Pimblett's potential. Hardy shared his belief that Pimblett has the potential to surpass Conor McGregor as the UFC's biggest star ever, stating:

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"He's (Paddy Pimblett) in a very strong position where he could become something way more than Conor McGregor. And I know that's a difficult thing for us to imagine, but we couldn't have imagined Conor McGregor until he stepped out of Cage Warriors."

Helwani was very intrigued by the sentiment, and asked Hardy if he's truly convinced Pimblett could be bigger than McGregor. Hardy responded by going into more detail, stating one key difference between the two that could be the condition that makes all the difference. Hardy said:

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"Absolutely. Conor's not as easy to gravitate towards as he used to be. Now that he's living on yachts, I think he's quite estranged from his fan base. But I think people will follow Paddy to a much longer degree than they have done Conor, because I don't think Paddy's going to fall off in the same way that Conor did and find himself in handcuffs."

Hardy essentially believes 'The Baddy' will have superior longevity compared to McGregor. Pimblett still has a long road to go but after his third straight finish, he is most definitely on track to greatness should he maintain his rise.

You can watch the full episode of The MMA Hour below:

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Paddy Pimblett: "Are you not entertained?"

Paddy Pimblett, after his thrilling victory, took to Instagram to post a picture with one of the most iconic movie quotes of all time. 'The Baddy' posted a picture of himself with his arms triumphantly raised, captioned: "Are you not entertained."

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The line was first said in the movie 'Gladiator' by Russel Crowe after he defeated several other warriors in the gladiator pit. The line was used sarcastically to illustrate the lack of empathy the crowd had towards the violence.

Pimblett is most likely using the line more literally here, as he put on a thrilling show for the O2 Arena crowd. Pimblett checks both boxes as being a fighter and an entertainer, and it was a fitting reference, being a modern-day gladiator himself.

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