Paddy Pimblett enters UFC top 10 after crushing TKO win over Michael Chandler

Paddy Pimblett made a powerful statement at UFC 314 with a dominant victory over Michael Chandler, catapulting himself into the top 10 of the UFC lightweight rankings.

The English fighter overwhelmed Chandler on the main card in Miami this past weekend, sealing the win with a third-round technical knockout.

 Pimblett unleashed a relentless barrage of elbows and punches that forced the referee to step in, securing one of the most emphatic wins of his career.

With this victory, Pimblett improves his professional MMA record to 23 wins and 3 losses. The performance not only earned him a Performance of the Night bonus but also elevated him to 8th in the lightweight rankings — a jump of four spots from his previous position at 12th.

He now sits just behind Mateusz Gamrot (7th) and ahead of Beneil Dariush (9th).

Speaking in the Octagon post-fight, the 30-year-old expressed his readiness to face the elite of the division.

"I want that world title. People said I’d never be champ, I’d never get ranked, never be in the top 10. But what now? I won. Dustin, Justin, Charles, or Arman—any of them. I respect Dustin, Justin, and Charles," said Paddy.

"Charles is the biggest legend out of them all. He’s called the best submission artist the UFC has ever seen. Well, I dispute that. I’m here. So me versus Charles."Pimblett’s callout of former champion Charles Oliveira highlighted his ambition, signaling that he’s not merely content with a top-10 spot — he’s aiming for UFC gold," he added.

On the other hand, Chandler’s defeat marked his fifth loss in six MMA appearances. The former Bellator champion dropped out of the lightweight top 10, slipping from 7th to 12th.

His performance also drew criticism from fans and even provoked a fiery response from former two-division champion Conor McGregor.