Paddy Pimblett earned a unanimous decision victory over Jared Gordon in the co-main event of UFC 282 tonight In las Vegas, but it wasn’t the kind of convincing performance that he would have been hoping for in his most high-profile fight to date.
Round One:
Push kick to the body from Pimblett. He throws off a couple of punches that come off the guard of Gordon. Another body kick from Pimblett.
Pimblett tries for a head kick. Hard left hand from Gordon now and then a calf kick. Pimblett eats another big left hook from Gordon as he was looking to land himself.
Leg kicks from both men now. Reaching punches and a missed head kick from Pimblett. Leg kick for Gordon.
leg kicks exchanged again. Left hand getting through again for Gordon with Pimblett’s defense still a big issue for him.
Big right hook lands for Gordon and Pimblett if nothing else is showing a good chin. Solid combination of punches from Pimblett.
Now it’s Gordon that lands again. Clash of low kicks there. Body kick from Pimblett and switch kick behind it.
Now a push kick from Pimblett and a high kick too. Two left hands get through for Gordon. Straight right for Pimblett.
Calf kick from Pimblett. Leg kick for Gordon and punches in response from Pimblett. Hook from Pimblett and Gordon fires back. Flurry of punches in close from both men.
Jab for Pimblett. Now a leg kick. He steps into a trip takedown attempt, but it doesn’t quite pay off and Gordon ends up on top to get some control time as the round ends.
Round Two:
Leg kick for Pimblett. He pumps out the jab and tries a head kick. Leg kick for him. leg kick for Gordon now.
Head kick from Pimblett almost got through. Gordon fires back though. Front kick to the body from Pimblett. Leg kick for Gordon.
Uppercut for Pimblett. Body punch from Gordon as Pimblett was backing up close to the cage. Leg kick for Pimblett but it’s checked.
Gordon with a few punches up against the cage. Grazing hook from Pimblett. He lands a nice punch to the body. Gordon with a punch of his own and now trying to work a takedown against the cage.
Pimblett opts to go to the mat while working on a choke. The angle is awkward and Gordon manages to stand back up and press him into the cage.
Gordon tries for a takedown, but Pimblett stays upright. Gordon punches to the body and then a right over the top lands to the head as Pimblett runs off.
Right hand lands for Pimblett. Left hook for Gordon. Right hand from Pimblett. leg kicks exchanged and a right hand lands for Gordon. Now a right from Pimblett and Gordon presses him to the cage again.
Elbow strike to the head from Pimblett as Gordon was ducked down looking for the takedown. A couple of knees to the body from Pimblett and then turns into Gordon and starts teeing off. Gordon survives the onslaught and fires back. Pimblett with an accidental eyepoke that forces a brief stoppage. Pimblett gets a strong warning for that from the ref.
Hard left and right from Pimblett. Now another solid right hand and a kick as he building momentum in the closing seconds.
Round Three:
leg kick for Pimblett. Now one to the inside of the leg. Gordon goes into the clinch and drops to his knees working on a takedown attempt. He dumps him practically face first onto the mat, but he stands with Gordon clinched to his back.
Pimblett turning into him now and perhaps looking to set up a choke as Gordon is ducking down looking for another takedown.
The action stalls a bit from this position and the ref is urging them to work. Knee upstairs from Pimblett a couple of times partially lands. Gordon keeps trying for the takedown but not getting it.
Only two minutes remaining and Pimblett finally manages to escape as Gordon was landing a punch. However, Gordon just pursues him and clinches up against the other side of the Octagon.
Gordon trying for a trip, but Pimblett stays upright. Time fading for him though as Gordon controls the action. Finally Gordon lands a takedown and goes to the back, but he’s too high up and slides over the top. Pimblett looking to get on top, but Gordon stands.
Pimblett trying to get around to his back against the cage. Pimblett hops onto his back, but there’s not enough time left to work anything from it.
Decision:
Not a whole lot to choose between the two here. However, Gordon was landing some big, clean hooks in the first round and also had a lot of control time from the clinch in the third, albeit without much end product. But was it enough to win in the eyes of the people who matter?
The judges say no, as they’ve awarded the win to Pimblett via unanimous decision (29-28 x3), but that could easily have gone the other way and ‘The Baddy’ still has a lot to work on if he hopes to continue to maintain his winning streak in 2023.
