Justin Gaethje believes his grappling skills are consistently underestimated by fans and analysts. He stated that his wrestling and submission ability are strong enough that he could have submitted Paddy Pimblett.
Justin Gaethje has pushed back against the narrative that he is purely a stand-and-bang fighter, insisting his grappling credentials are far more dangerous than most people give him credit for — and he named Paddy Pimblett as a fighter he believes he could have submitted.
Gaethje, the reigning lightweight champion, made the claim in a recent interview, arguing that his wrestling and submission ability are routinely dismissed by fans and analysts alike. The 37-year-old American, who trains out of Genesis Training Center, carries a 28-5 record and has long been celebrated for his elite striking. He lands 6.48 significant strikes per minute at an accuracy rate of 58 percent — numbers that place him among the sharpest offensive fighters in the division. That reputation for highlight-reel violence may be precisely why his ground game goes unnoticed.
Pimblett, ranked sixth in the lightweight division, has built his own reputation largely on the feet and on the mat, though in a different direction. The 31-year-old Liverpudlian holds a 23-4 record and trains out of Next Generation MMA Liverpool. He averages 5.49 significant strikes per minute with 52 percent accuracy, and his submission game is a genuine weapon — he averages 1.2 submission attempts per 15 minutes, a rate that reflects an active and aggressive ground attack.
Why it matters
- Gaethje's claim directly challenges the perception that Pimblett holds a grappling advantage over pure strikers
- Pimblett sits at number six in the lightweight rankings, making any matchup with the champion a significant divisional contest
- The style contrast — Gaethje's volume striking versus Pimblett's submission hunting — sets up an intriguing tactical question about where such a fight would actually be won or lost
