Ariel Helwani got into a heated feud with Paddy Pimblett and Dana White the week before UFC 282. In fact, it was White and Pimblett who fired the first shot after ridiculing Helwani and deriding him on Pimblett’s podcast.

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Helwani responded on ‘The MMA Hour’ with an hour-long dismantling of all the allegations made against him. Fast forward to UFC 282, Pimblett secured a suspect UD win against Jared Gordon after fans accused him of earning Dana White’s favor with the Helwani rant.

Now Helwani has given his own take on the UFC 282 debacle.

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Helwani discussed the decision and gave his thoughts on ‘The Ringer MMA Show.’ He joined Chuch Mindenhall and Petesy Caroll, who also believed the judges were wrong to award Pimblett the win.

Ariel Helwani on the 30-27 Paddy Pimblett scorecard

Ariel Helwani stood firm in his opinion that the decision was inaccurate. He slammed the judges for giving a unanimous decision to “The Baddy” in a razor-thin fight. The three discussed at length and gave their respective thoughts on the score.

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Paddy Pimblett

USA Today via Reuters

Helwani said, “I believe that is one of the worst decisions in the history of the UFC. I think that that was at worst 29-28, Jared Gordon. I think you can make a very strong case for 30-27.  I do not know how all three judges could score that. Not one, not even one dissenter, could score that for Paddy Pimblett. All three scored it 29-28 for Paddy Pimblett.”

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Chuck Mindenhall said that he had it 30-27 for Jared Gordon. He added that a 29-28 in favor of Gordon would also have been justifiable. Mindenhall considered the second round the closest. He added strongly that objectively, Pimblett didn’t win.

Read MoreAfter Dissatisfied reaction from Joe Rogan at UFC 282, Ex-UFC contender mocks Paddy Pimblett

Helwani raised another concern during the discussion. Expressing his doubts over the judges, he said, “There’s a part of me that wonders, with some of these judges if they are trying to score fights based on what they think the promotion wants.”

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Later, he returned fire at Pimblett for taking a shot at Helwani during the post-fight interview.

Helwani fires back at Pimblett with a Joe Rogan remark

During his rant on Helwani, Pimblett asked him to start paying for interviews. “The Baddy also claimed that Helwani made money off of interviewing fighters. While Helwani later disproved these claims, Pimblett went ahead with it, using it as a schtick in his post-fight interview.

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However, Joe Rogan, who conducted the interview, did not respond to Pimblett’s cheeky remark. Referencing the interview, Helwani said, “We didn’t get confirmation from Joe whether or not he paid for the interview… Joe no sold it.”

The trio discussed if Rogan was aware or whether he was told to ‘no sell’ any reference to the feud.

Watch This StoryFive fascinating facts about Paddy Pimblett

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What do you make of Helwani’s recent claims? Let us know in the comments below.

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Yeswanth Praveen

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As Senior Editor of EssentiallySports’ UFC division, Yeswanth Praveen brings firsthand experience to our combat vertical. A competitive boxer since his college days, he still trains four times a week, keeping his connection to the sport sharp. An English major with a strong command of language, Yeswanth combines technical insight with compelling storytelling, decoding complex fight sequences while capturing the heart of a fighter’s journey. Since joining EssentiallySports in 2021, he has played a pivotal role in shaping our combat coverage strategies. His work has earned recognition from UFC veterans like Bruce Buffer and former heavyweight Brendan Schaub. His UFC takes on Twitter keep him actively engaged with fight fans. Whether breaking down a high-stakes title fight or profiling a rising prospect, Yeswanth delivers authenticity and depth.

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Debmallya Chakraborty