Paddy Mac? White Compares ‘Baddy’ To ‘Notorious’

There may only be one Conor McGregor, but Paddy Pimblett is reminding White of Connie in one very specific way.

Paddy “The Baddy” Pimblett reminds UFC CEO Dana White of Conor McGregor.

White made that startling comparison during a recent interview with Jim Rome, suggesting the way both fighters silence the naysayers is practically the same.

“He reminds me of Conor when Conor first started,” White said. “Because everybody said, ‘Oh, Conor’s not that good, he’s just hype, this and that.’ And they just keep sticking it to everybody every time they fight.”

“Paddy is one of those guys. Everybody keeps doubting him, everybody keeps saying he’s not good. People keep calling him out and wanting to fight him. Then to go in and do what he did to Bobby Green, it’s hard to say that Paddy isn’t the real deal.”

“He’s fun, he’s entertaining, and he’s a tough kid.”

That’s high praise from White, and it’s true that a lot of people expected Pimblett to be exposed by Green when they fought at UFC 304. Instead, Pimblett wrecked King in just three minutes, cutting through a guy that had just bloodied and battered Jim Miller in his last fight.

But where’s the ceiling when it comes to Paddy? McGregor became the first simultaneous UFC double champ, which really has more to do with ‘Dana White privilege’ than anything else. Will Pimblett — fighting at lightweight in a division with wrestlers like Arman Tsarukyan and Islam Makhachev — be able to keep up on the mats? Can he outstrike the Gaethjes and Poiriers?

We have our doubts, but we’re going to enjoy watching him try.