Paddy Pimblett has never done things quietly, but fight week at UFC 324 exceeded expectations even by his standards. Hours before the most important night of his career, doubts were circling around one specific detail: why he’d spend $140K just to fill the arena with his people. To some, it looked irresponsible. Others found it excessive.

But now, the picture has started to come together. As Paddy Pimblett enjoyed the spotlight ahead of his interim lightweight title fight, an off-camera event explained everything as he received a $500K gift! It all makes sense now. Spending that massive sum on tickets wasn’t just about generosity or loyalty. This was about leverage, visibility, and the business side of becoming a UFC headliner.

A $500K symbol of Paddy Pimblett’s rising value

Just hours before his UFC 324 fight, Paddy Pimblett received a custom chain worth around $500,000 from Polymarket, an official UFC partner. The move wasn’t just flexing; it was a statement. Polymarket has formed a close partnership with the UFC and Zuffa Boxing, and ‘The Baddy’ has emerged as one of the most marketable figures in that ecosystem.

The chain was less a gift and more a thank-you note written in diamonds. That context reframed his decision to spend between $140,000 and $150,000 on tickets for friends and family. Pimblett wasn’t wasting money; he was reinvesting it. By the time fight night approached, he had already received sponsorship attention that most fighters can only dream of.

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The chain made that clear. In fact, Paddy Pimblett himself didn’t dress it up when asked about the tickets. “It was more than $100,000, lad. It was like $140,000 or $150,000. And there’s a lot of Scousers who have got tickets who I didn’t get them for as well.” Pimblett said at the UFC 324 Weigh-In Show.

“So there’s gonna be quite a few Scousers in here, put it that way,” he added. That’s the bit that many fans missed. Paddy Pimblett understands something that most fighters do not yet realize: moments sell more than wins. Branding involves filling the arena with your own noise, flags, and screams. That’s TV. That is value.

So, when people asked who would pay that much for tickets, the answer was simple. Someone who knew the return was already locked in. Between sponsorships, visibility, and now a half-million-dollar chain around his neck, ‘The Baddy’ didn’t just show up for UFC 324. He arrived as a brand in himself. In fact, Dana White even admits that he sees a bit of Conor McGregor in the Liverpoolian.

Dana White explains why Pimblett reminds him of ‘The Notorious’

That idea of value beyond wins is where Dana White’s comparison begins. When he looks at Paddy Pimblett, he sees more than just an interim title challenger—he sees a familiar pattern. Skepticism, noise, and the sense that fans are waiting for the moment when everything breaks apart. ‘The Baddy’ doesn’t just fight that narrative; he carries it despite knowing that doubt only amplifies the moment as much as a win does.

That’s why Dana White recently stated that Pimblett’s success reminds him of Conor McGregor’s early UFC career. “Well, he reminds me of the Conor McGregor story. He came in with this great personality, and they were always overlooking him,” the UFC boss recently told TMZ Sports.’

The Notorious’ was constantly questioned, regarded as style above substance, and written off before each move forward. Pimblett, according to White, lives in the same space—overlooked, underestimated, and portrayed as someone about to be exposed rather than validated.

That is why UFC 324 is crucial beyond rankings or belts. Pimblett takes on another battle where many predict him to lose, this time against Justin Gaethje. White sees the tension as the point. Each time ‘The Baddy’ passes another test, the comparison grows sharper. And, if history is any indicator, doubt has a way of turning into momentum when it keeps getting proven wrong.