England’s Paddy Pimblett vowed “you haven’t seen the last of me yet” after losing to America’s Justin Gaethje in a thrilling UFC interim lightweight championship bout in Las Vegas.
After five brutal rounds, Gaethje was given the nod by the judges, winning by unanimous decision with scores 48-47, 49-46, 49-46, ending Pimblett’s seven-fight winning streak in the UFC.
The Liverpool-based player said afterwards: “You live and you learn. I’m 31 years old. I’ll come back even better. You haven’t seen the last of me yet.”
“I wanted to walk away with the belt. I know how tough I am and I don’t have to prove it to anyone.
“There’s no guy that likes to lose more than Gaethje. He’s someone I loved watching growing up and that shows why he’s a legend.”
“I think 48-47 was a reasonable scorecard. I’m not going to lie, he landed a body shot in the first round that hit me. I thought I had won the round up until that point.”
Pimblett suffered an eye poke in the first round.
“Paddy is right – Scousers don’t get knocked out!”
An accidental poke in the eye by Pimblett in the first round caused the ring doctor to enter the Octagon, but he was deemed fit to continue and traded with Gaethje for the next two rounds.
He was dropped with seconds left in the second round, but survived, bloodied and bruised, and rallied in the third, only to be halted by a low blow.
Pimblett fell behind in the fourth, but fought back with a late flurry, while the British fighter looked set to take his opponent down when Gaethje landed strikes in the final round.
The judges’ scores came back 48-47, 49-46, 49-46, giving Gatje (left) the interim title.
Pimblett’s request for a late knockout was in vain, the players hugging each other in respect, and Gaethje saying, “Paddy is right, Scousers don’t get knocked out!”
“I knew I had to put him on the back foot. He’s very dangerous and has great timing. I had to steal his momentum and confidence.”
Gaethje will become the interim champion for the second time and will face Ilya Topria when he returns from personal leave.
