Dana White is learning the hard way that you cannot force legacy. The UFC has always thrived on narratives. Stars aren’t just built inside the Octagon; they’re shaped by timing, promotion, and belief. So when the boss compared UFC 324 headliner Paddy Pimblett’s rise to Conor McGregor’s legendary ascent, it was bound to spark debate. But instead of excitement, the comparison triggered pushback and a lot of it.

This came during a TMZ interview, a clip of which was shared by Red Corner MMA on X. White was asked whether Pimblett’s climb to a UFC title fight surprised him and whether he truly believed ‘The Baddy’ was championship material. He confessed, “He reminds me of the Conor McGregor story because, you know, came in with this great personality, and they were always overlooked… every time they fought, everybody believed that they were going to lose.”

The UFC head honcho didn’t stop there. He actually doubled down, suggesting Pimblett has faced skepticism even more consistently than McGregor did and added, “Paddy has been that guy more so than Conor McGregor and obviously this is a huge test for him and you know, Gaethje’s been wanting a shot at the title again, so.”

The throughline in White’s argument is belief against odds, which he claimed has always labeled Pimblett as the underdog in his fights. From a promotional standpoint, it makes sense. Pimblett is polarizing, loud, and massively popular in the UK. But fans weren’t judging the comparison on vibes alone. They went straight to resumes.

Before earning his first UFC title shot, Conor McGregor had beaten Marcus Brimage, Max Holloway, Diego Brandão, Dustin Poirier, and Dennis Siver. He then knocked out Chad Mendes to win interim gold and flattened José Aldo in 13 seconds to unify the belt. That wasn’t just hype. That was dominance.

However, Paddy Pimblett’s UFC run tells a different story. His wins have come against Luigi Vendramini, Rodrigo Vargas, Jordan Leavitt, Jared Gordon ( via a controversial decision), and a visibly diminished Tony Ferguson. While he did score a statement TKO over Michael Chandler, critics quickly pointed out context: Chandler’s UFC record sits at 2–5, and that speaks for itself.

That gap in opponent quality is why Dana White’s words landed so heavily. Fans weren’t rejecting Pimblett, they were rejecting the comparisons to ‘The Notorious’!

Fans clap back at Dana White’s comparison between Paddy Pimblett and Conor McGregor

One fan disagreed so vehemently that he rhymed: “There’s no comparison like paddy won’t even surpass Sean rainbow hair and that’s me being fair.” The reference to Sean O’Malley matters. O’Malley was also heavily promoted, but he backed it up by beating Petr Yan(another controversial win like Pimblett vs Gordon), winning the bantamweight title, and repeatedly fighting Merab Dvalishvili. Fans are saying: hype is fine, but proof matters.

Another fan took aim directly at White’s messaging, writing, “Dana: If I say it enough, people have to believe it at some point, right?” That reaction cuts deeper. It reflects a growing skepticism toward narrative-building from the top. Fans feel marketed to, not informed. And when comparisons stretch too far, repetition doesn’t convince; it irritates.

One reaction read, “The disrespect to Conor is getting on another level.” For long-time fans, Conor McGregor’s rise wasn’t just about wins. It was about changing the sport’s economy, visibility, and culture. He didn’t just headline cards; he rewrote the business model. Comparing that to Pimblett’s current résumé feels premature at best.

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Another fan put it even more bluntly: “This statement for Conor is worse than his loss to Nate Diaz.” Hyperbolic? Sure. But it speaks to how protective fans are of McGregor’s legacy, especially when comparisons feel lazy.

Perhaps the most telling reaction was tinged with nostalgia, “Thankfully, I lived to see UFC at its peak… No hate on Paddy, but every 3rd word is ‘you know what I mean’ and he’s being compared to Conor.” This wasn’t just about one comparison. It was about a fear that the UFC is leaning more on manufactured parallels than organic greatness.

While Dana White’s comparison may come from a place of promotion and optimism, the reaction shows a fanbase that still values receipts over rhetoric. But Paddy Pimblett now has a chance to change the conversation the only way that matters: inside the Octagon. If he beats Justin Gaethje convincingly, the noise quiets and the parallels start to feel less forced. Until then, comparisons to McGregor will continue to feel less like prophecy and more like pressure.