Paddy Pimblett returned from a year-long injury layoff to beat Tony Ferguson on the scorecards at UFC 296, but though he’s now on a five-fight winning streak in the Octagon, Daniel Cormier remains sceptical about his progress as a fighter.
“Paddy Pimblett fought really well in the first round and he did a good job with his grappling,” Cormier said on the ‘DC And RC’ show.
“But I just don’t know, man. He told us that he made all these improvements in the striking and he was going to keep his chin down as he approached the striking. It just looked the same, and it was a decision victory against Tony Ferguson who, lately, has not been able to get to the final bell.
“Granted, (Ferguson) was fighting Michael Chandler and Justin Gaethje and Nate Diaz – he was fighting killers. But I don’t know, man. I don’t think Paddy fought bad, but I think he needed to do a little bit more.
“That’s why it pisses me off so much when people compare everybody to Conor McGregor. When Conor McGregor was on his way up, he was finishing dudes. He was knocking dudes clean. He was doing his thing. It was never close.
