UFC star Paddy Pimblett has spoken about the goalposts being moved after Justin Gaethje's huge UFC Freedom 250 triumph.
In the co-main event of UFC 329, Paddy Pimblett will attempt to vault himself back into contention for the UFC lightweight championship when he faces off against Benoit Saint Denis, someone who will also feel like he is on the verge of earning a crack at the gold.
RELATED: Paddy Pimblett believes he can secure Conor McGregor bout after UFC 329: ‘I'll fight him at welterweight in MSG'
At the start of the year, Pimblett fell short in his attempt to win the interim belt when he lost to Justin Gaethje, who proceeded to shock the world and defeat Ilia Topuria to become the undisputed king at 155 pounds.
In a recent pre-fight scrum, Pimblett had the following to say about the ever-changing narrative changes in MMA.
Pimblett reflects on battle with Gaethje
“I got wrote off after that,†Pimblett told MMA Junkie and other reporters at a pre-fight news conference Wednesday ahead of Saturday's event at T-Mobile Arena. “Everybody said I got beat by him, an old man. Then, he goes and does that to Ilia Topuria, and all of a sudden he's the best thing since sliced bread. This just shows how the goalposts get moved constantly.â€
“… I said that after I fought him. I got more respect losing a fight than I did winning seven in a row in the UFC. It just shows how mad our fanbase is, doesn't it?â€
“With him winning and becoming undisputed champion, it looks good for me. I said that after he beat me. I said he was going to beat Ilia Topuria. I said it was fate that he beat me. It was his destiny. He was going to win the world title at the White House. I was just in the way.â€
Quotes via MMA Junkie
Will Paddy Pimblett find his way to a UFC world title shot in the future? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below, BJPENN Nation!
Despite failing multiple drug tests, Jon Jones
insists that he never used steroids.
Jones (28-1) is considered one of the greatest fighters in
Ultimate Fighting Championship history. However, his legacy is
marred by multiple anti-doping violations throughout his career.
The former two-division champion recently reiterated past claims
that he's never taken performance-enhancing substances.
Jon Jones' UFC career remains tied to anti-doping controversies
and GOAT debates
Jones was stripped of the interim UFC lightweight heavyweight title
after testing positive for clomiphene and letrozole following his
win over Ovince St.
Preux in 2016. He again tested positive for a turinabol
metabolite in 2017, which led to his stoppage win over Daniel
Cormier in their rematch being overturned to a no contest.
While Jones tested positive for the M3 metabolite of oral turinabol
in 2018 following his win over Alexander
Gustafsson, “Bones†wasn't penalized as the substance was
deemed to be lasting effects from his previously failed drug
test.
However, Jones refuses to accept his doping violations. The former
UFC double champ insists that the failed drug tests were a result
of tainted supplements and also claims that the substances found in
his failed drug tests had no performance-enhancing effects.
“Never took steroids,†Jones told ALF Global. “It was a supplement
found in my body. It was proven to come from a supplement company
that I was using. It was a tainted supplement that I was using. The
amount of this substance that was in my body was so small that it
took very expensive scientists to be able to even find it and the
supplement that was found in my body has zero performance-enhancing
effects, zero. And that’s very well documented.â€
Jones then addressed fans and fighters who diminish his
accomplishments, claiming they don't look at the facts and jump to
conclusions.
“For some reason, the fans ignore all that, and they’re just like,
‘Something about steroids, he’s guilty.' I never did and that was
proven. It’s funny because fighters are like, ‘Jon Jones is a
knucklehead, but he’s brilliant enough to do steroids and trick the
UFC’s scientists.' It’s like, which one is it? Am I the knucklehead
or the mad genius?â€
Former
Ultimate Fighting Championship fighter Anthony
Smith has been arrested on multiple charges.
Anthony Smith remains in custody after his arrest in Nebraska
on multiple criminal charges
Smith (39-22) was arrested in Sarpy County, Nebraska, on charges of
terroristic threat, 1st degree false imprisonment and domestic
violence causing serious bodily injury. The former UFC light
heavyweight title challenger currently remains in police custody in
Sarpy County.
Terroristic threat and 1st degree false imprisonment carry a
maximum of three years in prison, plus fines and post-release
supervision. Meanwhile, the domestic violence charge can result in
a maximum of 20 years in prison.
Smith left the UFC on a three-fight slump following a loss to
Mingyang
Zhang last year. “Lionheart†returned to competition this past
April, scoring a submission win in Gamebred Bareknuckle MMA.
🚨 Anthony
Smith was arrested in Nebraska yesterday on three felony
charges
For the very first time, the UFC is heading to Serbia.
On Saturday, UFC Belgrade goes down at Belgrade Arena, headlined by a welterweight main event between Uros Medic and Daniel Rodriguez. But what's at stake between these two, with Medic surging and Rodriguez fighting for the first time since a harrowing stint in a Mexican prison?
This week, host Jed Meshew flies solo to break down the full UFC Belgrade card. Topics discussed include whether or not Rodriguez is getting overlooked against Medic, just how long Jan Blachowicz can keep getting away with this, a ton of debuting Serbian fighters, a few gems on the undercard, some PFL action, and the latest update on The Climb.
Tune in for episode 160 of No Bets Barred.
New episodes of the No Bets Barred podcast drop every Wednesday and are available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever else you find your favorite podcasts. The latest episode can be heard below.