"Should be a walk in the park" - Jordan Leavitt says Paddy Pimblett "not the most accurate striker"
Jordan Leavitt will be hoping to dash British fight fans' hopes when he steps into the octagon against hot prospect Paddy Pimblett at London's UFC Fight Night on July 23.
Sitting down for his pre-fight press conference, Leavitt appeared calm and confident ahead of his biggest fight in the UFC so far. The 27-year-old even admitted that he doesn't find the bout interesting. He doesn't see Pimblett as a star and criticized the Liverpudlian's striking:
"It's not very interesting at all. I don't follow him on social media... I don't think I'm gonna be star-struck, I don't see him as a star... He's not the most accurate striker. He has one real knockout and is a regional champ, that's it... This fight should be pretty easy. If I stay on my toes, stay disciplined and it should be a walk in the park."
Paddy Pimblett's UFC rise is nothing short of meteoric. The 27-year-old is a former Cage Warriors featherweight champion who turned down the UFC twice before making his debut in 2021.
Despite only having two fights with the organization, Pimblett has earned himself a lucrative new contract that goes into effect after his fight with Leavitt. 'The Baddy' has two finishes in the UFC, which has earned him two performance bonuses. He is looking to continue his fine run of form in the octagon in front of his home crowd.
Watch Jordan Leavitt's full press conference here:
Paddy Pimblett vows to finish Jordan Leavitt in the first round
Paddy Pimblett has promised fans he's going to continue his first-round finishing streak and put away the "overrated" Jordan Leavitt inside the first five minutes.
The Liverpudlian made an appearance on this week's DC & RC Show and broke down his upcoming bout against the American.
'The Baddy' appeared as brazen and confident as ever, admitting he couldn't wait to silence his doubters once again:
"I know a lot of people call me overrated and say I'm not that good. But I think he's overrated... There's levels in the UFC and I'm a level above him. I'm going to show that I'm not a flash in the pan and I'm going to finish him in the first round... I'm a much better grappler than him... he hasn't got hands, know what I mean?... He can't strike to save his life. He couldn't finish his dinner, you know what I mean?"
Pimblett's octagon walk at UFC Fight Night London will be the second time in a row he has appeared in front of his home fans. 'The Baddy' is already a fan favorite and could well find himself in the 155lb's top 15 if he can deliver another dominating performance inside the cage.
Catch Paddy Pimblett's full interview with Daniel Cormier and Ryan Clark here: