Mar 22, 2025; London, England, United Kingdom; Paddy Pimblett, UFC Lightweight fighter, watches as Jai Herbert (red gloves) fights against Chris Padilla (blue gloves) during UFC Fight Night at O2 Arena. Mandatory Credit: Peter van den Berg-Imagn Images

mma

Paddy Pimblett Calls For Fair Play As He Hopes To Get A Good Referee At UFC 314 Showdown

Paddy Pimblett hopes to have a referee that will not tolerate any kind of cheating in his fight against Michael Chandler!

The lightweight division of the UFC has always been a shark tank. Filled with killers and technicians, it’s where careers are made or broken. Ever since his arrival in the promotion, Paddy Pimblett has been making waves with his charismatic personality and growing skill set. The Liverpool native has steadily climbed the rankings, silencing critics with each victory and proving he’s more than just a flashy haircut and witty one-liners.

Now facing the biggest test of his UFC career at UFC 314, Pimblett is set to square off against former Bellator champion Michael Chandler in the co-main event. While the matchup promises fireworks based purely on both fighters’ aggressive styles, there is another layer of tension brewing.

Also Read: Michael Chandler’s Former Opponent To Return As Desk Analyst For UFC 314!

Paddy Pimblett’s Heated Comments

Paddy Pimblett has openly expressed concerns about Chandler’s fighting tactics. He joined a chorus of past opponents who have accused the American of fighting dirty. As fight night approaches, ‘The Baddy’ isn’t just preparing for Chandler’s explosive power, he is also hoping for a referee who will keep the fight clean. And during the UFC 314 media day, Pimblett didn’t mince words about his opponent.

“He’s the nicest man in the world he outside the cage and then when he gets in there he’s a dirty bas***d, isn’t he?…But yeah, I probably will mention to the ref in the back, if he’s going to grab my glove I’m going to say [something]. If he tries to poke me in the eye and stuff like that. Put it that way. I hope we’ve got a good ref like [Marc] Goddard or [Jason] Herzog. I don’t want to have a ref that’s just going to let me get rabbit punched in the back of my head consistently.”

Pimblett plans to address his concerns directly with the referee during their pre-fight meeting. It is clear that while Pimblett respects Chandler as a person, he is wary of what might happen once the cage door closes.

Michael Chandler’s Controversial History

Pimblett’s concerns aren’t coming out of nowhere. He specifically referenced several fights where Chandler’s actions raised eyebrows. Most notably, he brought up Chandler’s recent victory over Charles Oliveira. Many fans felt Chandler landed multiple illegal shots to the back of Oliveira’s head.

The Liverpool fighter also mentioned Chandler’s controversial eye poke against Justin Gaethje and referenced Dustin Poirier’s accusations of fish-hooking. Despite their professional differences, Pimblett maintains respect for Chandler outside competition. As for the significance of this matchup, Pimblett knows a win over someone of Chandler’s caliber would push him closer to title contention.

(Image Credit: Peter van den Berg – Imagn Images)

Michael Chandler

Paddy Pimblett

UFC 314

Zaid Quraishi

mma

I am a dedicated MMA and Boxing content writer at The Playoffs. I was instantly hooked on MMA after watching the fight between Lyoto Machida vs. Gegard Mousasi back in 2014, and since then, i have been an avid writer with a deep love for the sport and its techniques, providing readers with a thorough understanding of the sport. My favorite aspect of working at The Playoffs is the creative freedom it provides. The diverse range of topics, from listicles and SEO to news articles, keeps me engaged and motivates me to continuously improve my skills! I aim to capture the excitement of the combat sports world in my writing, acting as the middleman between fighters and their die-hard fans. It is kind of like a referee, but with words!