HIS FIGHT MAY not be the main event, but there’s no doubting that Paddy Pimblett is the star attraction on this weekend’s Cage Warriors 78 bill.
The 21-year-old Englishman (11-1) and French veteran Johnny Frachey (18-10) will challenge for the CWFC featherweight title tomorrow night at the Echo Arena in Pimblett’s hometown of Liverpool.
The belt was recently vacated by Alex Enlund after his departure for the UFC. Should things go according to plan for Pimblett, he’ll be the fourth consecutive Cage Warriors featherweight champion to be signed by the UFC, following in the footsteps of the likes of Jim Alers and — the strap’s most illustrious former owner — Conor McGregor.
Currently riding a streak of seven wins, which includes five stoppages inside the first two rounds, Pimblett is one of the most exciting young prospects in the game at present and a switch to MMA’s leading organisation seems inevitable.
The accomplished grappler was expecting a call-up following his impressive submission of Teddy Violet in July, but instead of preparing to make his UFC debut 40 miles from where he was born at UFC 204 in Manchester next month, Pimblett will have another opportunity to enhance his status as a man with a bright future ahead of him.
“I’ll win this and the UFC will be next,” Pimblett told The42 this week. “This will be my last fight for Cage Warriors. It’ll be like any other fight. The belt will be a good reward at the end of it, but it’s really just another step along the way to where I’m going: the top.”
Pimblett’s team-mate, Chris Fishgold, will defend the CWFC lightweight title in the Cage Warriors 78 main event when he also takes on a Frenchman in Jason Ponet.
Elsewhere, ex-UFC lightweight Mickael Lebout will fight Tim Wilde, former welterweight title challenger Mohsen Bahari faces Ali Arish and exciting Swedish middleweight Victor Cheng returns from a four-year absence to clash with Leeroy Barnes.
The Cage Warriors 78 main card kicks off tomorrow night at 9pm and it’s live on both BT Sport 2 and UFC Fight Pass.
