Paddy Pimblett is vying for a UFC strap later this month, but his mindset was rooted in the glory days of Pride FC seemingly, as he spoke on some amendments he would look to see applied to the unified rules of mixed martial arts. Pimblett will battle former UFC interim lightweight champ and ex-BMF champ Justin Gaethje in the headliner of UFC 324 on January 24th.
The looming interim lightweight title challenger appeared on a recent vlog as a part of UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall’s YouTube channel and addressed several subjects. During the Aspinall conversation, with an excerpt of the chat posted by X account @RedCorner_MMA, Pimblett said,
“I don’t agree with stomping because your head’s got nowhere to go, but a soccer kick where someone’s sitting in guard and you can move the legs and kick them there, and knees to the head of the grounded opponent, so if someone shoots a sloppy takedown just to get a break, you should be able to knee them in the head.”
Paddy Pimblett on Ilia Topuria and the UFC lightweight title situation
It was apropos that Paddy Pimblett was talking to Tom Aspinall about not wanting to be caught in the position of an interim champion caught in limbo, with the divisional kingpin’s status being unclear. This was expressed by Pimblett, who faces Justin Gaethje for the interim 155-pound strap, while reigning lightweight champion Ilia Topuria’s timeline for a potential return is unclear due to personal issues.
While speaking to his fellow UK combat compatriot in Aspinall, ‘The Baddy’ mentioned that he has heard rumblings that Topuria can be out for around a year or maybe even two years, depending on whether things get particularly ugly with his personal situation involving his estranged former partner.
While the former Cage Warriors titleholder mentioned that he does want to test skills with Ilia Topuria at some point to show MMA fans he can beat the Georgian-Spaniard fighter, but that if Topuria were out for a prolonged period of time, it might be best for the title to be vacated to create more movement in the division for active fighters.
No one ever advocates to add head butts. That would be a game changer.
Adding soccer kicks, stomps and headbutts to UFC rules would be amazing!
The first rule that should be reinstated is allowing upkicks when you’re on your back under any circumstance
It would dramatically reduce stalling , IMO.
Plus, if you’re on your back , and your opponent is in your guard…..technically the guy in your guard is a downed opponent …..but it’s you whose on your back. So you’re down as well
This is the rule that drives me nuts for not being allowed. I think this is also one that won’t receive negative backlash like soccer kicks or downed knees
Pillow feet
Soup knows!
This would be such a great rule to punish boring faggots who lay on you and don’t do shit
The rules already favor wrestlers
And we see a few kicks to the chest pushing off the top opponent now and then. Would be nice to see a few of those to the face!
Ya agreed, it’s just an optics thing, standing knee or head kick is probably more devastating if it comes through cleanly.
Knees to a grounded opponent only favor wrestlers more. Coleman is lucky he never killed anyone with those knees from a front headlock. That shit always looked terrifying.
I disagree 100% and I hear that all the time
If that was true, Pride would have been a wrestlers dream….but it wasn’t
Sprawling and punishing wrestlers with knees would be something every wrestler would have to worry about before they could even get a guy down and use their knees on the non-wrestler.
Also, the upkicks would be another weapon that could be used to defend when you’re on your back fighting a wrestler
When MMA threatened to be legitimate, I would’ve disagreed.
But now Dana’s turned it into a two bit circus, I’m all for it.
It could increase stalling because fighters wouldn’t posture up as much
Soccer kicks should only be allowed against Sean Omalley