“Paddy Pimblett showed tonight that he is the real deal. Beating Michael Chandler—and beating him the way he did—I don’t know how you can doubt the kid anymore.” UFC CEO Dana White stated this at the UFC 314 post-fight presser and couldn’t have said it better. Paddy Pimblett put on a statement against Michael Chandler showing he’s not just hype. The Englishman was sharp, ruthless, and completely in control against one of the division’s most dangerous fighters. For a long time, the Liverpudlian faced his fair share of doubters. Only his true fans, especially the loyal Scousers kept the faith. But after a performance like that, a lot of people are starting to see him in a different light and Israel Adesanya is one of them.

The former two-time middleweight champion shared his UFC 314 predictions in a video ahead of the event. While he started off backing Pimblett, he ended up switching his pick to Michael Chandler citing the veteran’s experience and knockout power, especially in the early rounds. ‘The Last Stylebender’ said, “Imma go Chandler man. I think Chandler has the first-round KO, but if he doesn’t get that, it’s gonna be a long night. He might get gassed or hurt by Paddy. But Chandler is used to that pace—he’s been in there with the best. So that’s what I’m banking on: Chandler’s experience and that bomb.”

‘The Last Style Bender’ met with Paddy Pimblett after his fight at the backstage and said,  “Hey! Congrats! I’m gonna stop counting you out. Honestly, I’m being serious. Good night man.”

Adesanya picking Michael Chandler to win this fight wasn’t a bad take at all. Let’s be real, Chandler has gone toe-to-toe with some of the best lightweights in the world. ‘Iron’ has brought the heat every time and earned his reputation as a dangerous, high-pressure fighter. ‘The Baddy’s last big win was over King Green, and before that, he went the distance with a clearly past-his-prime Tony Ferguson. So it’s understandable why someone like the Nigerian native would lean towards the former three-time Bellator champion.

The Englishman showed real growth in this fight and he deserves the credit. After the fight, he made sure to thank the fans who stuck by him through the doubts and criticism. But when it came to the judges, the tone was noticeably different. Let’s just say the respect wasn’t mutual and ‘The Baddy’ made that clear without holding back.

Paddy Pimblett fumes at judges looking at the UFC 314 scorecards

Paddy Pimblett was all smiles after his performance against Michael Chandler at UFC 314. He managed to get the finish inside the third round of their five-round co-main event, and he was thrilled. But that joy didn’t last long once he saw the scorecards. Despite securing the stoppage, Pimblett was shocked to find he was actually winning on only one of the three judges’ cards before the finish.

Junichiro Kamijo scored the first two rounds 10-9 in favor of the 30-year-old Liverpudlian. But judges Chris Lee and Derek Cleary didn’t see it the same way, both gave round one to Chandler. All three officials, however, agreed that Pimblett dominated the second round. Lee even awarded him a 10-8. Dan Fernandes shared a video on X in which Paddy Said, “Two judges gave him the first round, the stupid c—s,” Pimblett said before reading out fan comments slating the scorecards. “They are not wrong. These judges! What the f— was that? I absolutely muftied him.”

What do you think about Israel Adesanya’s take on Paddy Pimblett’s performance? Please comment below.