Concern has rippled through the mixed martial arts community after footage surfaced appearing to show UFC star Paddy Pimblett vaping just days before his crucial interim lightweight title fight. The Liverpudlian fighter is preparing for the biggest challenge of his career against Justin Gaethje at UFC 324 in Las Vegas this Saturday night.
High Stakes in Las Vegas
The stakes for this weekend's bout have been elevated significantly after UFC president Dana White and promotion bosses decided to place an interim lightweight championship on the line. This development comes as reigning champion Ilia Topuria steps away from competition temporarily for personal reasons, with an expected return later this year.
This unexpected turn of events has presented Pimblett with a golden opportunity to secure a showdown with his long-standing rival Gaethje for championship gold. With so much riding on the outcome, every aspect of both fighters' preparations is being scrutinised by fans and analysts alike.
Controversial Footage Emerges
During the build-up to UFC 324, Pimblett received a visit from fellow British fighter and heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall. While the pair engaged in extensive discussions covering various topics, one particular moment captured more attention than others.
According to reports from All Out Fighting, Pimblett was seemingly caught using a vape device during their conversation. In footage shared on Aspinall's YouTube channel, the 31-year-old appeared to take a drag during what seemed to be a brief respite from his intense training regime.
Predictably, the clip spread rapidly across social media platforms, prompting widespread reaction from throughout the MMA world. The timing of the footage's emergence, just days before such a significant championship bout, has raised questions about Pimblett's preparation and conditioning.
Mixed Reactions from Fight Community
The MMA community responded with mixed reactions to the controversial footage. One viewer commented, "Annnnnnd my bets changed," suggesting the video might influence betting patterns for the upcoming fight.
Another observer noted, "Paddy vaping and eating so unhealthy when he's not in fight camp. Will take a toll on him later on in his career." This sentiment reflects concerns about the long-term impact of such habits on athletic performance.
A more humorous take came from another commenter who predicted, "His gas tank is gonna be f***** if he doesn't finish Gaethje in the first 2 rounds hahaha." This refers to concerns about cardiovascular endurance potentially being compromised by vaping.
MMA fighter Leah McCourt offered a different perspective, stating, "Lol most fighters I know do. And world champion boxers." This suggests that such habits might be more common among combat sports athletes than the public realises.
Pimblett Remains Confident
Despite the chatter circulating within MMA circles, Pimblett appears unbothered by the controversy and has promised to deliver a devastating performance on fight night. Speaking recently with the MMA Guru, the Scouser didn't hold back when offering his official UFC 324 prediction.
"I think I finish him wherever the fight goes to be honest," Pimblett declared. "Obviously, I know he can bang, but every fight we get a breakdown of our opponent and it actually shocks me how much he gets hit and I know he takes one to give one, but you cannot really do that at this level."
The British fighter elaborated on his strategy, explaining, "That's why he has lost to people like Eddie Alvarez, Dustin Poirier, Charles Oliveira because he can't just take one to give one, and I am not just going to stand there and let him hit me back. I'll be using my range, keeping him on the outside, and I have got a feeling I am going to knock him out to be honest."
Preparation and Confidence
Pimblett revealed details about his preparation that have bolstered his confidence heading into the championship bout. "I have been doing a lot of rounds with Luke Riley for this camp and Luke's got much better technical striking than Justin Gaethje, and I am having a lot of success sparring with Luke," he explained.
The fighter continued, "Obviously one of my coaches Ellis, who used to fight himself, he is the exact same build as Justin. He's 5'10 with a 70 inch reach and I have been doing rounds with him. Literally because he does not fight anymore and he is just a coach, he has just done Justin's style for me. He has not got his own style, he has been doing Justin for me. I can see me knocking him out or dropping him and then submitting him."
Event Details and Broadcast Information
The highly anticipated clash between Paddy Pimblett and Justin Gaethje is scheduled for Saturday, January 24, at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The early prelims are set to begin at approximately 10pm GMT, with standard prelims commencing at midnight GMT on Sunday.
The main card will start at a revised time of 2am GMT on Sunday. In the main event, Pimblett is expected to make his entrance to the octagon first at approximately 4am GMT on Sunday, with Gaethje following shortly afterwards. All timings remain subject to change depending on the duration of undercard bouts.
For viewers in the United Kingdom, the entire UFC 324 event will be broadcast live on TNT Sports Box Office for £19.99. The card can be purchased through multiple platforms including discovery+, EE TV, Prime Video, Sky and Virgin Media TV. Notably, a TNT Sports subscription is not required to purchase the event.
UFC 324 represents a new chapter for the promotion following an agreement with Paramount. Therefore, for American audiences, Paramount+ will serve as the primary platform to catch all the action from this significant championship event.
