Ever since Ilia Topuria lost to Justin Gaethje at UFC Freedom 250, retiring on his stool at the end of the fourth round, fans have started looking at Paddy Pimblett’s own setback against the American in a different light.
For those unaware, Pimblett suffered his first UFC loss against Gaethje at UFC 324 in January 2026. The two fought for the interim lightweight title in the main event of the promotion’s first Paramount+ card.
However, the bout was also surrounded by controversy, as multiple eye pokes and a low blow against Pimblett sparked debate over the referee’s decision not to deduct a point. Two judges ultimately scored the fight 49-46 in Gaethje’s favor.
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Pimblett has argued that stricter officiating could have resulted in a draw. However, the defeat remains on his MMA record. Nearly 10 months later, the Liverpudlian has opened up about how he handled the loss and why it affected him differently from his previous setbacks.
Paddy Pimblett Reveals How His UFC 324 Setback Helped Him Grow
Pimblett’s loss to Gaethje has arguably aged better following his impressive comeback at UFC 329, where he submitted Benoit Saint Denis in just 52 seconds. Looking back at UFC 324, the Englishman revealed that, for the first time in his career, he did not cry after a defeat and instead accepted the result with his head held high.
In a recent interview with All Out Fighting, Pimblett was asked how the loss to Gaethje compared to the three other defeats he had suffered outside the UFC.
To this, Pimblett said, “You know what’s crazy? It affected me less than the other fights that I’ve lost in the past. When I lost when I was 18, 22, and 23, they affected my mental health terribly. When I lost this one, I didn’t even cry.”
He added, “Every other fight that I’ve lost, I sat in my room and cried my eyes out for days. This one I never (cried).”
Pimblett admitted that the defeat was something he needed to experience to become a better fighter, and he believes he has already taken the right steps forward. He added, “This one, I just knew it was growth. I knew I needed that to get better, and that’s what I’ve done.”
Paddy Pimblett says his loss to Justin Gaethje was the only defeat that didn’t make him cry. 🫡
“It affected me less than the other fights I’ve lost in the past. When I lost at 18, 22, and 23, those losses affected me mentally in a terrible way. When I lost this one, I didn’t even cry. Every other fight I’ve lost has made me cry for days. This one, I knew it was just growth.”
via: All out fighting
— Red Corner MMA (@RedCorner_MMA) October 14, 2026
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When the interviewer asked whether he had simply moved on from the loss, Pimblett replied, “Yeah, Sunday morning, it was, that’s done. Let’s move on.”
Pimblett last competed in July 2026 and has yet to confirm his next opponent. However, in the same interview, he revealed that his return is not imminent and that he hopes to fight during the first quarter of 2027.
Following his dominant submission win over Saint Denis, Pimblett will be looking to build on that momentum when he returns to the Octagon. With his first UFC defeat now seemingly behind him, it remains to be seen who the Liverpudlian will face next.