Justin Gaethje has weighed in on Paddy Pimblett's unorthodox fighting style, crediting his long reach, unusual angles, and unpredictable timing as the keys to his success — comparing him to fighters like Sean Strickland and Dricus du Plessis. However, Gaethje is skeptical of Pimblett's chances against Ilia Topuria, stating he believes Topuria is far more dangerous and would win 97 times out of 100.
Justin Gaethje has offered a sharp assessment of Paddy Pimblett's fighting style and long-term ceiling in the lightweight division, singling out Ilia Topuria as a matchup where Pimblett would almost certainly come up short.
Speaking in a recent interview, Gaethje credited Pimblett's effectiveness to a combination of long reach, unorthodox angles, and unpredictable timing — qualities he likened to those displayed by middleweight standouts Sean Strickland and Dricus du Plessis. Strickland, the current middleweight champion with a 31-7 record, has built his career on high-volume, rhythm-disrupting output, averaging 6.04 significant strikes per minute. Du Plessis, ranked second in the division at 32 years old and sitting seventh in the pound-for-pound rankings, brings a similarly hard-to-read switch stance and averages 5.18 significant strikes landed per minute. Gaethje's point was that fighters who operate outside predictable frameworks can cause real problems for opponents conditioned to more conventional styles.
When the conversation turned to Topuria, however, Gaethje drew a firm line. The Spanish-Georgian standout holds a 17-1 record and currently ranks second in the lightweight division while sitting atop the pound-for-pound rankings at just 29 years old. Topuria lands at a 48 percent striking accuracy rate and supplements his stand-up with 1.1 submission attempts per fifteen minutes, giving him a layered and well-rounded threat profile. Gaethje suggested Topuria's level of danger is simply in a different category, putting the odds of a Pimblett win at just three in a hundred.
Why it matters
- Gaethje's comments place Pimblett's stylistic strengths in context while drawing a ceiling on his elite-level viability
- Topuria's pound-for-pound top ranking and technical depth make him a credible measuring stick for any lightweight contender
- The Strickland and du Plessis comparisons frame Pimblett as a disruptor rather than a conventional title threat
