While suggesting Arman Tsarukyan doesn’t deserve a UFC lightweight title shot, Paddy Pimblett trashed Dan Hooker, whom he called a “bum.”
Pimblett is gunning for the UFC lightweight title shot against new champion Justin Gaethje, who defeated Pimblett earlier this year at UFC 324 in an upset. Should Pimblett beat Benoit Saint Denis next month at UFC 329, look for him to call for a rematch against Gaethje for the belt.
But most fans and media believe that Tsarukyan, who is on a five-fight win streak, should be next in line for a title shot fight. Pimblett, though, doesn’t believe his win streak warrants it, especially since his last win came over Hooker, who Pimblett believes is a “bum.”
Paddy Pimblett Calls Dan Hooker a “Bum”
Speaking to UFC Hall of Famer Demetrious Johnson in a recent podcast, Pimblett ripped Tsarukyan’s title shot campaign, while specifically taking shots at Hooker, Tsarukyan’s last scalp.
“Arman Tsarukyan is a posh boy helmet. I’m not a big fan of his at all. I think he’s a (expletive) idiot. He’s had everything handed to him on a plate his whole life, so he thinks the UFC should do the same to him. I don’t even think he deserves the next title shot, lad. He’s beaten Dan Hooker in the past three years. He’s a great athlete. He couldn’t beat (Mateusz) Gamrot. Last year, he got offered that rematch and said no,” Pimblett said (via MMAjunkie.com).
“Imagine getting offered a rematch against someone who’s beat you, and you said no. Now that is an (expletive). That is an (expletive) right there. Arman would have been closer to a title shot beating Gamrot than beating Dan Hooker. Dan Hooker’s a bum, lad. Dan Hooker’s a proper bum. Dan Hooker can’t fight to save his life, lad. I don’t understand how he’s even still in the top 10. Michael Chandler knocked him out, and Michael Chandler’s not in the top 15 anymore.”
Could Paddy Pimblett Be Angling for a Future Dan Hooker Fight?
Interestingly, Pimblett went after Hooker, who is ranked only a few spots lower than him in the UFC lightweight rankings — both in the new, AI-based Meta UFC Rankings and the traditional media-based UFC Rankings.
While Pimblett brought up Hooker’s loss to Chandler in 2021, he did not mention that Hooker has a recent win over the top-ranked lightweight Gamrot from two years ago. So even though Pimblett might not be a fan of Hooker, the Kiwi has some solid wins under his belt.
Pimblett could be planting seeds for a future fight between the two. After all, if Pimblett loses to Saint Denis next month at UFC 329, then he would be on a two-fight losing skid, and he would need to fight someone ranked lower than him, which could be Hooker. So perhaps Pimblett is playing a bit of 4D chess with these remarks.
Either way, Pimblett has a tough test ahead of him in the form of Saint Denis, and that should be his only focus right now.
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