Michael Bisping expects Justin Gaethje to be a tough matchup for Paddy Pimblett but still sees him getting caught.
Gaethje (26-5 MMA, 9-5 UFC) meets Pimblett (23-3 MMA, 7-0 UFC) for the interim lightweight title in Saturday’s UFC 324 (Paramount+) main event at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Bisping doesn’t see a specific path to victory for Pimblett but thinks he can capitalize on Gaethje’s tendencies, which he has shown in his past losses.
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“It’s a tricky one for Paddy, because I don’t think he has the wrestling to take him down,” Bisping said on his YouTube channel. “And I don’t think he has the striking to stand there and go toe-to-toe with Justin. If Paddy allows himself to get boxed into a corner, if Justin cuts off the cage and backs Paddy up against the fence and forces them to trade, Justin’s got bigger power. Justin’s got better boxing. That’s what he built his entire career on, but I think if Paddy can use his height, his range, his speed, use his kicks – and that’s another thing, as well. Justin Gaethje’s got some of the best leg kicks in the game.
“Inside kicks, outside kicks, calf kicks, head kicks, you name it. The man throws them all with nasty intentions. So, it is a very, very tough fight. When you look at Justin Gaethje, how has he been losing fights? Well, against Khabib, it was a submission. Against Charles Oliveira, it was also a submission. In little opportunities, where he made a mistake and the other person was able to capitalize on that. I think in this fight it’s a dangerous matchup for Paddy Pimblett, but I also think it’s one he can win. Over five rounds, Justin Gaethje can make a mistake. He does have more experience, but he has maybe slowed down a bit.”
While Bisping can see a scenario where Gaethje clips Pimblett, he thinks his fellow Brit will catch him on the ground.
“He’s also very precise. He does commit with every strike,” Bisping said. “And I do think that in those kinds of flurries, when he catches Justin with something, Justin moves in a certain way, he leaves an opening for an underhook or a foot sweep or something like that, takes the back, hits a triangle, whatever it is. He’s very creative. I’ve got Paddy Pimblett winning by way of submission and becoming the interim champion of the world.”
This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: UFC 324: Michael Bisping shares Gaethje vs. Pimblett prediction
