Paddy Pimblett calls Dan Hooker "a nice fight" for the future after Kiwi's UFC 305 victory
Paddy Pimblett has suggested that Dan Hooker could be a good matchup for him at some point down the line. 'The Baddy' notably praised Hooker and the Kiwi's opponent Mateusz Gamrot for their respective performances in their recent fight.
New Zealand's Hooker faced Poland's Gamrot in a three-round lightweight bout at UFC 305 earlier this month (Aug. 2024). The grueling fight ended with Hooker emerging victorious via split decision, though some argued that 'Gamer' was more deserving of the judges' nod in the closely-contested clash.
In a video posted to his official YouTube channel, Pimblett shared footage of his reactions to UFC 305. Addressing Hooker's fight against Gamrot, he stated:
"Yeah. Big one for the lightweight division this, like. Hooker vs. Gamrot. Yeah, I agree with Gamrot being favorite. Don't know about a big favorite, like. Dan Hooker's fought a much a much higher caliber of fighter. Even though he lost a few, he lost a few to some of the best fighters in the world. I could end up fighting one of these, couldn't I?"
Moreover, 'The Baddy' echoed the sentiments of many others who watched that fight, as he suggested that Gamrot's ideal path to victory would be to take Hooker to the mat and hold him there. Pimblett alluded to 'The Hangman' staving off his Polish opponent's takedown attempts and inflicting significant punishment on the feet, particularly as the match progressed.
The Liverpudlian pointed out that Gamrot appeared to be exhausted, adding that Hooker was walking him down and landing good body shots. Pimblett further opined that the win would help the Kiwi fighter re-enter the lightweight top five and that he'd be an intriguing matchup for him:
"Fight of the Night so far of what I've watched. Let's see the decision anyway. I reckon Hooker, lad, to be honest. 29-28 Gamrot, 29-28 Hooker. Upset. Dan Hooker back in the top five. Could be a nice fight for me in the future."
Check out Pimblett's comments below (4:50):
Dan Hooker vs. Paddy Pimblett: Is a potential New Zealand vs. England lightweight bout on the horizon?
Dan Hooker rose to the No. 5 position, and Mateusz Gamrot dropped to the No. 8 spot in the official UFC lightweight rankings following UFC 305. Meanwhile, Paddy Pimblett is at No.15. Pimblett's most recent fight witnessed him defeat King Green (formerly known as Bobby Green) via first-round submission at UFC 304 (July 2024).
Hooker called for a fight against former double champion Conor McGregor after UFC 305. He also expressed interest in facing former UFC lightweight champion Charles Oliveira, former UFC featherweight champion and current BMF champion Max Holloway, and reigning UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev.
Pimblett notably called out Renato Moicano after his latest win. With 'The Baddy's' unbeaten UFC run and Hooker's seemingly perennial presence in the 155-pound rankings, a fight between the two popular fighters could be on the cards.