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MMA: Mixed Martial Arts

Paddy Pimblett has done nothing but win since first arriving in UFC, but that doesn’t mean he’s being lauded as the next big thing in the lightweight division.

Always outspoken with a rabid fan base supporting him, the 29-year-old scouser constantly touts himself as a future UFC champion, but his sample size against the best fighters in the world is simply too small to really know his ceiling right now. Pimblett has a chance to advance his agenda on Saturday when he faces veteran lightweight King Green in a featured bout on the UFC 304 main card.

While Green has never been a UFC title contender, he’s lingered around the top 15 for several years and racked up impressive wins over names like Grant Dawson, Jim Miller, Tony Ferguson, and Al Iaquinta. That’s a level of competition that Pimblett hasn’t faced yet, but he will this weekend.

“This is certainly the beginning of those stretch of fights,” UFC analyst Laura Sanko told MMA Fighting about Pimblett’s proving ground at UFC 304. “Up until this point, Paddy is proving he’s as good as he said he was in Cage Warriors, and to a large degree, he’s made true on those promises.

“The reality is he’s passed every test we’ve put in front of him. Some of them controversially, but the fact is when you go to his Tapology page, there’s nothing but green in the UFC and we have to tip our hat to that. King Green is a different test altogether.”

Pimblett currently sports a 5-0 UFC record, although many argue he should have one loss on his résumé after earning a razor-close decision win over Jared Gordon back in 2022.

Despite claiming that he’s destined to wear gold around his waist, Pimblett hasn’t quite looked like a polished product in the UFC just yet, but he has an opportunity to change that narrative at UFC 304.

“To take out someone like Tony Ferguson, a name, is always impressive, but I think we all understand where Tony is in his career at this point and it’s not like taking out the Tony Ferguson of 2016,” Sanko said of Pimblett’s most recent win. “It’s just not the same thing. King Green, he’s a unique test for anybody, I believe, because of his hand speed.

“He’s one of the fastest guys and most unique looks on the feet that you’re ever going to fight at lightweight. No one fights like him. He occasionally pays for it, but way more often than not, and certainly with great frequency lately, he has been chalking guys with his hand speed, his position, and just the fact that his strikes are coming from places that it’s just really tough to train for.”

Sanko points directly at Green’s awkward and unique style as the biggest reason why Pimblett could potentially struggle at UFC 304. Green’s approach, where he oftentimes comes after his opponents with his hands at his hips before launching combinations, essentially goes against what any top striking coach would tell you to do fundamentally.

Somehow, Green uses it effectively, and because it works, it also makes it that much harder for any opponent to game plan against him.

“We always talk about the guys with the really traditional karate stances, we’ve got to find a guy to really mimic that,” Sanko explained. “Good luck finding a guy who can fight like King Green does in the gym. Because he’s lightning fast, he throws from his hips, he’s got a swag that I think when you see that swag come out in a fight, I can only imagine as the opponent there’s a little part of your brain that goes, ‘Oh shit, he’s found his flow.’

“When he gets flowing, he’s a very dangerous, powerful guy because of how precise and how fast he is.”

Like every other fight he’s had thus far in UFC, Pimblett exudes confidence that he’ll dispatch Green and continue his march up the lightweight rankings.

Maybe that’s true, but Sanko believes this is actually just the first of many obstacles Pimblett must get through before convincing a skeptical world that he’s the real deal.

“Is this a test for Paddy? Huge test for Paddy,” Sanko said. “But I think it’s the beginning of a series of tests that we’re going to need to see him pass. He’ll have a couple of fights like this where it’s fringe top 15, early top 15, and then if he passes those tests, then the ceiling is endless for Paddy.

“These are important moments and important times for him to go out there and make good on a lot of promises that he’s made the fan base.”

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MMA: Mixed Martial Arts

Leon Edwards is getting a good chuckle out of Belal Muhammad.

The two welterweight standouts collide in a rematch Saturday for Edwards’ welterweight title in the main event of UFC 304. Ahead of the bout, Muhammad and his team have not been shy in making grand proclamations about their fighter, including Muhammad’s coach comparing the Chicago native’s boxing to Canelo Alvarez’s and Muhammad himself repeatedly going into elaborate detail about how he plans to “torture” Edwards over five rounds and painting a dream scenario of a decisive decision victory to win the belt.

For Edwards, it’s all been a bit strange.

“All this, if it was me, yeah, I’m not going to go mad deluded and shit and just throw out random shit, but [I’d at least be saying], ‘I’m going to knock this guy out and cut him open.’ You want violence in it,” Edwards said with a smirk at UFC 304 media day. “If I could dream this scenario in my brain, I would dream of violence. I wouldn’t dream of f*cking going to decision. You know what I mean? It’s just weird thoughts that’s going on.

“He is [the least intimidating person]. Like, there’s just zero. Let’s say we’re in the street and I saw Belal Muhammad — I wouldn’t be afraid of him one bit, and that’s how I look at it. He’s not intimidating one bit. That’s it.”

Edwards, 32, is currently MMA Fighting’s No. 3 ranked pound-for-pound fighter in the world. He is unbeaten across 13 bouts since 2015 and captured his title with a legendary come-from-behind knockout of Kamaru Usman in 2022. Edwards then defended his welterweight belt twice in 2023, defeating Usman again before outclassing Colby Covington in a one-sided bout.

Muhammad, 36, is also unbeaten in 10 consecutive UFC bouts dating back to 2019. In recent years, he has dominated opposition with his wrestling and aggressive work rate, beating the likes of Gilbert Burns, Sean Brady, and Vicente Luque. Ahead of UFC 304, Muhammad vowed that he also plans to out-strike Edwards in addition to out-wrestling the Englishman, though Edwards isn’t giving that promise much credence.

“He might try to [strike]. He won’t have much success in it. I think everyone knows his game plan would be to come out and try wrestling, but even his wrestling ain’t all that, really. He ain’t a f*cking Khabib [Nurmagomedov] or like a ‘GSP’ [Georges St-Pierre]. He’s Belal,” Edwards said with a laugh. “You know what I mean? So it’s like, I don’t know, let’s see.”

The champ also couldn’t help but scoff at Muhammad’s promises of extreme violence.

“It’s a contradiction, right?” Edwards said. “When has he ever tortured anybody in the cage? When has he ever knocked anybody out? He’s going to choke me halfway, look at my brother, let me back up, look at my coach? I was like, ‘Bro, you’re deluded.’ He even came out and said that if he beats me — which he won’t — he’s topping ‘GSP.’ His boxing coach came out and said he has the same hands as Canelo. It’s like, what the hell is going on?

“I feel like he’s trying to talk himself into the fight. He’s trying to convince himself that he’s better than what he is, I feel. It’s the only way I can see it. I can’t see what else there is.”

Of course, this isn’t the first time for Edwards and Muhammad. The two met previously in a 2021 bout that ended prematurely when Muhammad sustained an accidental eye poke just 18 seconds into the second round. Edwards has rattled off four straight wins since and emerged as one of the sport’s most talented fighters, while Muhammad has bulldozed his way through five wins and cemented his place as a top welterweight contender.

Edwards expects his road since that 2021 no contest to benefit him more on Saturday night than the journey Muhammad has taken to earn his long-awaited title shot.

“I don’t think it’ll be different, it’ll be similar,” Edwards said, “because Colby is boxing and wrestling, Kamaru is boxing and wrestling. They kick but not really, they’re more boxing and wrestling. Belal, same, boxing and wrestling, he kicks but not really. Their attacks as far as wrestling goes [are] similar. So I just feel like my path to this rematch has better prepared me for the rematch more than his path to the rematch.

“He fought Burns, [who] was injured. Who else? Luque. Who else? ‘Wonderboy’ [Thompson], that’s 60 years old. Demian Maia, 60 years old. So all the people that he’s fought [weren’t like me].”

UFC 304 takes place July 27 at the Co-op Live in Manchester, England.

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Wow!
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UFC

Paddy Pimblett isn’t going anywhere after all.

The rising lightweight star has officially signed a new UFC contract ahead of his main card scrap with Bobby Green later tonight (Sat., July 27, 2024) at UFC 304 live on ESPN+ PPV from inside Co-op Live in Manchester, England. Pimblett was entering this weekend with one fight left on his current deal.

“The Baddy” announced his UFC re-signing during a recent episode of UFC 304 “Embedded.” Check it out below:

“New contract signed,” said Pimblett. “I’m not going nowhere.”

Pimblett, who enters his third-straight PPV main card appearance later tonight at UFC 304, is one of the biggest English stars on the roster today. He may have encountered a few obstacles throughout his UFC career, but “The Baddy” is 5-0 inside of the Octagon and looks to be getting more and more confident each time he competes.

This weekend will be a huge test for the 29-year-old as he goes up against “King” in Manchester. Green is one of the savviest veterans in the lightweight division today and a guy who always delivers in big-time spots. It’s going to be up to Pimblett to shut him down early, find the finish, and prove why UFC made a good decision re-signing him.

MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the entire UFC 304 fight card RIGHT HERE, starting with the early ESPN+ “Prelims” matches at 6 p.m. ET, followed by the remaining undercard balance on ESPN2/ESPN+ at 8 p.m. ET, before the PPV main card start time at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN+ PPV.

To check out the latest and greatest UFC 304: “Edwards vs. Muhammad 2” news and notes be sure to hit up our comprehensive event archive right here. For the updated and finalized UFC 304 fight card and PPV lineup click here.

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MMA: Mixed Martial Arts

Leon Edwards and Tom Aspinall could become legends with title defenses in their home country. Or Belal Muhammad and Curtis Blaydes could make it a night to forget for the English.

UFC 304’s top two fights are rife with storylines, beginning with Edwards going for his third defense of his welterweight belt. Edwards shocked the world when he beat Kamaru Usman with a last-minute head kick to become champion, and then kept the vibes going when he beat Usman again to retain. The less said about a win over a lethargic Colby Covington the better, but Edwards is ready to put another stamp on his legacy if he can close the door on his Muhammad rivalry.

As for Muhammad, an upset win on Saturday would be sweet vindication after being passed over for years despite an ever-growing unbeaten streak. Muhammad has never been UFC’s No. 1 choice to lead a division. He’s now 25 minutes away from taking destiny into his own hands.

What the main event and co-main event have in common is that they’re both rematches of bouts that had unsatisfying conclusions. Muhammad vs. Edwards 1 ended in a no contest when an eye poke left Muhammad unable to continue, while Blaydes can technically claim that he has one up on Aspinall. Technically.

Aspinall suffered a grisly knee injury 15 seconds into his first fight with Blaydes in 2022. The injury sidelined Aspinall for a year, but he rebounded with back-to-back knockouts of Marcin Tybura and then Sergei Pavlovich to earn a share of the heavyweight crown. Aspinall is currently No. 1 at heavyweight in the MMA Fighting Global Rankings, a lofty position that could be lost in a flash of Blaydes takes advantage of the opportunity of a lifetime.

In other main card action, lightweight veteran King Green puts Paddy Pimblett to the test, Christian Leroy Duncan and Gregory Rodrigues meet in an intriguing middleweight clash of styles, and top featherweight contender Arnold Allen looks to stop a skid when he faces Giga Chikadze.

What: UFC 304

Where: Co-op Live in Manchester, England

When: Saturday, July 27. The five-fight early preliminary card begins at 6 p.m. ET on ESPN+, followed by a four-fight preliminary card at 8 p.m. ET, all on ESPN2 and ESPN+. The five-fight main card begins at 10 p.m. ET and is available exclusively on ESPN+ pay-per-view.

(Numbers in parentheses indicate standing in MMA Fighting’s Global Rankings and Pound-for-Pound Rankings)

Leon Edwards (1, P4P-3) vs. Belal Muhammad (4)

First off, let me say that I think this will be a better fight than most fans are expecting. Yes, Leon Edwards and Belal Muhammad have a lengthy history of uneventful decisions, but all it takes is the right style matchup and some bad blood to make magic happen. The elements are in place for these two to entertain.

Both are so well-rounded, it’s difficult to predict the exact ebb and flow of this matchup. We can all agree that Edwards has the edge in striking, while Muhammad has to find success with his grappling if he is to have a chance of pulling off this upset. It might take only one or two impactful moments in each round to win them and if Muhammad can score the occasional takedown and sprinkle in ground-and-pound, then that’s his path to victory. Otherwise, he could be dealing with 25 minutes of Edwards poking away at him (sorry, poor choice of words).

A walkover by Edwards would genuinely shock me. Muhammad is tough and adaptable, and even if he’s a step behind Edwards for the majority of the bout, he’s going to throw enough different looks at Edwards to force the champ to adapt in his own right. This will be a tactical battle in the best possible way.

To no one’s surprise, this fight goes the distance, with Edwards winning on the cards after five tense rounds.

Pick: Edwards

Tom Aspinall (1, P4P-12) vs. Curtis Blaydes (4)

This one ain’t going to the judges.

If you’re feeling frisky and going for a long shot on a Blaydes decision, I understand the inclination. Blaydes is a grinding wrestler when he needs to be and he’s defused many a knockout artist with his forceful grappling. His safest route to gold might be to ground Aspinall and avoid taking risks.

That said, people tend to overlook what a strong grappler Aspinall is. He doesn’t always have to show it as his natural power has ended many fights before there’s a chance for the martial arts to get mixed, but he’s no sitting duck if Blaydes puts him on his back. Aspinall can threaten with submissions and has more than enough strength and technique to get the fight back to the feet. Blaydes’ wrestling will have to be the best it’s ever been if his plan is to simply smother Aspinall.

Blaydes has also had poor luck against the best punchers in the division, a category I’m comfortable slotting Aspinall into. The big Brit doesn’t just hit hard, he’s patient and accurate, and he can eat a shot too. Even taking into account the unpredictable nature of heavyweight, there’s slim chance that an extended striking battle goes Blaydes’ way.

Aspinall by second-round knockout.

Pick: Aspinall

Paddy Pimblett vs. King Green

The buck stops here for Paddy Pimblett.

I’ve been one of the most vocal advocates about Pimblett being better than people give him credit for, but stylistically he couldn’t have asked for a tougher veteran test. Pimblett is not a better striker than King Green and he doesn’t have the one-shot KO power to just catch Green. I imagine “Baddy” backers are expecting Pimblett to grab on to Green and hoss him around, but that’s something few fighters outside of Islam Makhachev have been able to do.

And I hope I don’t have to tell you that Pimblett isn’t quite on Makhachev’s level.

Maybe I’m super wrong here, and Pimblett’s youth makes the difference in a division that typically sees the young consume the old, but Green hasn’t lost much of a step in the latter stages of his career. He’s not like anyone Pimblett has faced before, and I don’t know if Pimblett has the tools to solve this particular problem.

Overall, it should be a great night for the English contingent. Pimblett will have to go back to the drawing board after this one though.

Pick: Green

Christian Leroy Duncan vs. Gregory Rodrigues

Fine, this isn’t Muhammad Mokaev vs. Manel Kape, but as far as fights to place on the main card, you could do a lot worse than this middleweight duel.

Christian Leroy Duncan has star potential and a fight in his native England should bring out the best in him. He’s a creative striker that won’t rush into exchanges, even with the aggressive Gregory Rodrigues bearing down on him. Duncan should explore the studio space here, making Rodrigues chase him until he finds an opening for one of his highlight-reel kicks.

Will we finally see Rodrigues rely more heavily on his highly vaunted Brazilian jiu-jitsu? Maybe. Do I asked this exact question when predicting Rodrigues fights every time? Almost definitely yes. Just use the joooo-jeeeetzooo, “Robocop!”

Sigh. This one stays on the feet, with Duncan clipping Rodrigues in Round 3 for a late knockout.

Pick: Duncan

Arnold Allen (7) vs. Giga Chikadze (13)

Arnold Allen on a losing streak? Classic wounded animal situation.

Suffering back-to-back losses to Max Holloway and Movsar Evloev is nothing to be ashamed of, the latter fight an absolute thriller that Arnold could have pulled out if a couple of sequences went differently. As it stands, he’s probably learned more from those setbacks than if he’d cruised to a pair of decision wins over lesser competition.

That’s not a knock on the opponents Giga Chikadze has fought, but it has to be noted that Arnold is more battle-tested. He also has five years on Chikadze, who’s been involved in combat sports since 2008. Chikadze still has the skills to be a contender, but he could be trending downward and that makes him vulnerable to Allen’s high-paced offense.

Bolstered by the rowdy English fans, Allen comes out hot and doesn’t let up en route to a bounce-back decision win.

Pick: Allen

Preliminaries

Nathaniel Wood def. Daniel Pineda

Molly McCann def. Bruna Brasil

Caolan Loughran def. Jake Hadley

Modestas Bukauskas def. Marcin Prachnio

Oban Elliott def. Preston Parsons

Muhammad Mokaev (T9) def. Manel Kape (T9)

Sam Patterson def. Kiefer Crosbie

Mick Parkin def. Lukasz Brzeski

Shauna Bannon def. Alice Ardelean

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