Paddy Pimblett set to make UFC debut vs. Luigi Vendramini
One of MMA's biggest featherweight/lightweight prospects, Paddy Pimblett, has his first UFC fight announced. The former Cage Warriors champion will take on Luigi Vendramini at a UFC event scheduled for September.
The event is currently targeted to take place in London, England, and will be headlined by Pimblett's fellow Liverpudlian Darren Till, who takes on Derek Brunson in a much-anticipated middleweight contender fight.
Paddy Pimblett looking to take the UFC by storm
Over the course of Paddy Pimblett's MMA career, the UFC have come calling more than once. However, similar to Jiri Prochazka, Pimblett decided to continue working on his skills as a mixed martial artist so that by the time he joined the UFC, he would be well-rounded and ready to take on any opponent.
After amassing a 16-3 record during his time with Cage Warriors, as well as a few other regional promotions, Paddy Pimblett has now deemed himself ready to step up and begin competing in the UFC. His first opponent, as per MMA journalist Marcelo Barone, will be Luigi Vendramini.
Luigi Vendramini holds a record of 9-2, with one win and two losses inside the UFC. He most recently competed on the undercard of UFC 263, where he put on a spirited performance against Fares Ziam. Vendramini ultimately came up short against Ziam, but was incredibly close to finishing the fight in the third round.
The fight between Paddy Pimblett and Vendramini is an intriguing matchup. Pimblett is a well-rounded fighter who especially excels with his jiu-jitsu. Vendramini is a brawler with one-punch knockout power. The UFC have done Pimblett no favors in his debut bout, but Vendramini is the sort of fighter who draws exciting contests out of even the most one-note opponents.
UFC London
While it has still not been officially announced, the event will see Paddy Pimblett make his debut on looks to almost certainly take place in London. The card is already littered with British fighters such as Lerone Murphy, Nathaniel Wood, Molly McCann and Marc Diakiese.
One of the biggest fights on the recently announced card is the heavyweight bout between Scotland's Paul Craig and MMA legend Alexander Gustafsson. Craig recently defeated Jamahal Hill at UFC 263, dislocating the prospect's arm before finishing the fight with ground strikes.