Paddy Pimblett: 'Perfect game plan' for Justin Gaethje will surprise everyone
Paddy Pimblett is confident he can stand and trade with Justin Gaethje at UFC 324.
Pimblett (23-3 MMA, 7-0 UFC) takes on Gaethje (26-5 MMA, 9-5 UFC) for the interim lightweight title in the Jan. 24 main event at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas (Paramount+).
Pimblett punched his ticket to a title opportunity with a dominant TKO of Michael Chandler at UFC 314. Although his grappling could be a key to victory against Gaethje, Pimblett believes he can finish the fight anywhere.
"I'll keep it on the feet with him," Pimblett told TNT Sports. "There's the blueprint there to beat him. Max (Holloway) done it. Everyone underestimates my striking. Everyone thinks I'm just going to come in and I'm going to take him down, but I'm not. He had an absolute war with Chandler, and I pieced Chandler up. I know MMA math doesn't work, but you'll see come January 24 when we have a perfect game plan and we finish him within three."
If Pimblett does resort to his ground game, he doesn't see former NCAA Division 1 wrestler Gaethje stopping it.
"No, (Gaethje won't stuff my takedowns). I don't wrestle like a normal person, I don't shoot double legs and single legs and wrestle like a normal person does," Pimblett said. "I do everything differently. I'm not normal. He's not going to be able to get a sparring partner in that grapples like me or strikes like me because I'm a weirdo. I'm very awkward. You can't really get a sparring partner in to do me because I'm so awkward."
This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: UFC 324: Why Paddy Pimblett expects to outstrike Justin Gaethje
