Paddy Pimblett gave fans a taste of his killer ground game back in September 2022 when he took on 10 US Marines in a grappling gauntlet at Camp Pendleton, California. The lightweight star from Liverpool, England, submitted every single one with slick moves like armbars and triangles, all caught on a video that exploded online. Posted to his YouTube channel, the 20-minute clip racked up over a million views, showing why his grappling is among the nastiest in the UFC’s 155-pound division. Now, as he heads into UFC 314 on April 12, 2025, against Michael Chandler, that old feat’s got everyone talking again.
The 2022 challenge wasn’t just for show. Paddy joined the Marine Corps Martial Arts Program to share his skills and push mental health awareness after losing a friend to suicide. Fresh off choking out Jordan Leavitt at UFC London on July 23, 2022, he rolled with the Marines one by one, tapping each in under two minutes on average. His 10-0 run ended when he called it a day, proving his black-belt jiu-jitsu could handle trained fighters back-to-back. It’s a perfect hype booster as he preps for his biggest UFC fight yet in Miami.
Chandler clash looms large
Paddy’s 6-0 in the UFC, with five submissions, including his latest against King Green on July 27, 2024, at UFC 304. That first-round triangle choke earned him a 200-grand bonus and jumped him to number 12 in the lightweight rankings. At 30, with a pro record of 22-3, he’s facing Michael Chandler, a 38-year-old ex-Bellator champ with a 23-9 record, in the UFC 314 co-main event at the Kaseya Center. Chandler’s last fight was a knockout loss to Charles Oliveira on November 16, 2024, at UFC 309, his first since 2022 after a long wait for Conor McGregor fell through.
UFC 314 also stars Alexander Volkanovski against Diego Lopes for the featherweight belt. Paddy’s five-rounder with Chandler, known for knockouts like his 2021 UFC debut against Dan Hooker, is a chance to crack the top 10. His Marine-tapping display from two years ago shows he’s got the tools to drag this fight down and finish it, even against Chandler’s power and wrestling. With four UFC bonuses already, Paddy’s aiming to steal the night on April 12 and keep his perfect streak alive.
