Paddy Pimblett accepted his unanimous decision loss to Justin Gaethje at UFC 324 without excuses, expressing gratitude for the support and determination to pursue the undisputed title despite being hospitalized after the fight.
Paddy Pimblett isn’t making excuses for his loss to Justin Gaethje at UFC 324. On Tuesday, he broke his silence. He released a statement addressing the fight after being sent to a Las Vegas hospital for medical care.
Despite losing a unanimous decision, Pimblett is taking it in stride. The 31-year-old lightweight from Liverpool faced his first UFC setback.
“Hope everyone enjoyed my fight just as much as I did,” Pimblett wrote on Instagram. He thanked supporters and said he felt amazing going into the fight. No excuses—the better man won.
“Justin Gaethje, congratulations brother,” he continued. “It was an honor to share the cage with such a legend.” He urged Gaethje to go for the undisputed title, saying his career deserves it.
Pimblett’s optimistic about the future. “Hopefully, we can run it back for the undisputed,” he said. He believes it’s his destiny to win that gold.
Entering the fight, Pimblett was a heavy favorite for the interim title. A win would have set him up to fight reigning lightweight champion Ilia Topuria.
Though Pimblett had his moments, he suffered multiple knockdowns. Most of the fight was on the feet. Pimblett went 0-5 on takedown attempts, while Gaethje managed three brief takedowns.
Interestingly, Pimblett landed more significant strikes—155 to Gaethje’s 144. Yet, Gaethje’s damage led to a unanimous decision win.
By the end, Pimblett had significant swelling and cuts. UFC CEO Dana White sent him for medical treatment immediately. No post-fight press conference for him.
The loss dropped Pimblett to 7-1 in the UFC, 23-4 overall. But he’s determined to come back stronger.