Paddy Pimblett shares surprising take on Islam Makhachev vs. Alexander Volkanovski result
Paddy Pimblett believes that Islam Makhchev vs. Alexander Volkanovski should have been ruled a draw, despite the Scouser awarding Makhachev three rounds.
The fight was an incredibly close contest, with both men proving to be a match for the other's skillset. The judges scored the contest 49-46, 48-47, and 48-47 for the Dagestani, but 'The Baddy' scored the fight 48-48.
Pimblett stated that although Makhachev won three of the five rounds, Volkanovski should have been awarded a 10-8 score in the fifth round due to his dominant display.
Paddy Pimblett was recently interviewed by Mike Bohn of MMAJunkie and said this about the result of Islam Makhachev vs. Alexander Volkanovski:
"I thought it was a draw. I thought the last round was a 10-8 for Volk, and he'd won one other round. But Islam won three rounds with control. He didn't do much when he had the control but if someone's on your back, you're losing. Even if you're talking to them and punching them. I personally thought it was a draw, 'cause [in] that last round Makhachev was hanging on for dear life."
Watch the interview below from 7:50:
MMA scoring criteria dictate that judges will award a score of 10-9 to the winner of a fairly even round of fighting. But if a fighter dominates their opponent thoroughly, to the point where the fight could potentially be stopped by the referee, a judge should award the winner of the round a score of 10-8, or even a 10-7.
Many believe that 'The Great' almost finished Islam Makhachev in the fifth round of their bout, including Paddy Pimblett, which explains his score of 10-8.
See the judges' scorecards for the UFC 284 main event below:
Paddy Pimblett shares prediction for Conor McGregor vs. Michael Chandler
Several weeks ago, Conor McGregor and Michael Chandler were announced as the coaches of The Ultimate Fighter Season 31. 'The Notorious' will take on Chandler following the show's conclusion in a highly-anticipated return to the octagon.
McGregor has been recovering from a broken leg that he sustained against Dustin Poirier at UFC 264 in July 2021 and recently completed his rehabilitation. As per the show's premise, the two coaches will fight one another after the season finale, but the UFC has yet to release an official fight date.
Paddy Pimblett recently spoke to Mike Bohn of MMAJunkie and shared his prediction for Conor McGregor vs. Michael Chandler:
"If Conor catches [Chandler] early I can see him putting [Chandler] out. But if Chandler can get him through, into the later rounds, then Chandler can wrestle him. But Conor has got that one shot power, and as you know, Chandler comes in to brawl."