Sean O’Malley praises “f*cking skinned ‘paddy pimblett”

Sean O’Malley sees great potential in fellow UFC star Paddy Pinblett.

Pimblett (22-3 MMA, 6-0 UFC) will face Michael Chandler (23-9 MMA, 2-4 UFC) on Saturday’s five-round UFC 314 co-headliners (Pay-Per-View, ESPN, ESPN+) at Kaseya Center in Miami.

Former multi-time Bellator champion and former UFC title challenger Chandler marks the Sternest test for Pinblett so far. While most people consider matchups to be more beneficial for Pinblett, former UFC bantamweight champion O’Malley believes Chandler has the same amount to earn money in the victory.

“Paddy vs. Michael Chandler is a very interesting fight,” O’Malley said on the Timothgar Show podcast. “Michael Chandler is a gang to fight. If he beats Paddy, it’s still a big win – maybe not in the eyes of some people, but Paddy is skilled. What he did to Bobby Green was super. It’s a big fight.

“Michael Chandler is the beast for that fight. Paddy fields are the beast. Paddy fields, what he wants to do is climb the rankings. I think the fight makes a lot of sense. I don’t know who will win.

Pimblett took part in the UFC lightweight rankings after notching King Green’s quick first round submission at UFC 304 last July. Meanwhile, Chandler has lost four of his past five, losing in a row to Dustin Poirier and Charles Oliveira.

For more information about the card, see the MMA Junkie Event Hub at UFC 314.