Paddy Pimblett explained what he would do differently in a possible rematch with Justin Gaethje, saying he would abandon his striking game plan as soon as possible and focus on using his wrestling abilities. Pimblett thinks that if he can get Gaethje down quickly, he will be able to control Gaethje on the ground and eventually submit him.
Pimblett’s statements occur after he was defeated by Gaethje at UFC 324 in January of 2026, when Gaethje won a unanimous decision over Pimblett for the Interim Lightweight Championship. Based on his experience from that fight, Pimblett seems certain that if they fight again, he will have to take a drastically different approach in order to win.
Paddy Pimblett Reveals His 10-Second Submission Strategy
In a recent interview with the “How U Livin J Piven” podcast, Pimblett stated that he has made some changes since his first fight with Gaethje.
The English lightweight said he wasn’t going to spend a lot of time throwing punches. He plans to try to take Gaethje down right away, get him on his back and find a way to submit him.
He stated that if there is another match against Gaethje, he will try to take Gaethje down within the first ten seconds of the fight. He stated that his goal is to bring Gaethje to the ground and submit Gaethje with a choke.
The above statement is a complete shift in strategy compared to what Pimblett did when he fought the fighter for the first time. Instead of using his Brazilian Jiu Jitsu as a primary weapon during this fight, Pimblett spent much of the night trading blows with one of the best strikers in the UFC.
His recent remarks indicate that he now understands how critical it is for him to use his most effective fighting techniques when competing against other fighters who possess great knockout capability.
What Went Wrong for Paddy Pimblett Against Justin Gaethje?
The first time they met at UFC 324, this was a key event in Pimblett’s UFC career. Gaethje controlled much of the five round fight through his use of experience, striking skills and pressure.
During the contest, the American knocked down Pimblett and inflicted serious damage with a series of blows. Despite the fact that Pimblett was able to demonstrate great resilience and generate potential scoring opportunities, he did not produce enough to win the title.
Ultimately Gaethje was awarded the win via unanimous decision by the three judges. Two of them had the bout scored 49-46, while the third judge scored it 48-47.
The defeat also ended Pimblett’s seven-fight winning run inside the UFC.
The following is a rewrite of the original text: Pimblett later admitted that his ego was the reason behind how he decided to fight. Rather than using his grappling skill set to defeat Gaethje, he chose to engage in striking battles with Gaethje to prove that he could stand up with Gaethje.
Therefore, if there were to be a second match, he could fix that error.
Paddy Pimblett’s Recent Comeback Strengthens His Confidence
Pimblett has shown his ability to submit again after being defeated by Gaethje.
He was able to secure a very quick and impressive submission win over Benoit Saint Denis at UFC 329 on July 2026. This fight lasted only 52 seconds before he forced Saint Denis to tap out.
Pimblett has shown to be a top contender in the Lightweight Division of the UFC with his ability to rapidly end fights. MMA fans were reminded of how fast he can use his grappling skills when he quickly finished off King Green, Jordan Leavitt, and Rodrigo Vargas, all by submission.
If he were to use the same strategy as he did in these fights against Gaethje, then this would probably be a very exciting fight. But taking on an experienced fighter like Gaethje who has such good defensive skills will be a different kind of fight.
Will Paddy Pimblett Get Another Fight Against Justin Gaethje?
The possible second fight between the two fighters is not guaranteed, however there are many potential title challengers for the lightweight division of the UFC who are still looking for their opportunity.
Arman Tsarukyan and Ilia Topuria have each had their name tied to the UFC featherweight title contention. Another name that has been tossed around is Alexander Volkanovski, who could be a contender for the title.
Pimblett, on the other hand, made it very obvious that achieving status as an undisputed UFC Champion was still one of his major objectives. Even though he has had a strong rivalry with Topuria for quite some time now, Pimblett stated that he wants to get a second chance at fighting Gaethje due to the fact that there are titles involved.
Additionally, there is uncertainty regarding what lies ahead for Gaethje. Pimblett stated that the American could possibly retire once he has accomplished his goal of becoming champion.
As of yet, it has not been confirmed that the two lightweight fighters will face off again. But, as Pimblett stated in his most recent interviews, he provided fans with an idea of what he would do differently than their last bout.
If they face each other again, the main issue is if Pimblett can get Gaethje down on the mat before Gaethje gets in a position of dominance through his striking.
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