Dana White has been urged to remove Paddy Pimblett from the UFC roster following what many considered a disappointing performance from one of the division’s leading contenders on Saturday night.
However, UFC officials are unlikely to act on this advice, as Pimblett endured a full five-round battle against Justin Gaethje—an encounter widely regarded as a Fight of the Year candidate. Moreover, the UFC 324 main event drew record-breaking viewership for the debut event on Paramount+.
Pimblett has often faced criticism for being fast-tracked toward a title shot without facing enough high-level competition. As a result, he will likely need to regroup and confront even tougher opponents to climb back toward contention in his division.
Arman Tsarukyan, who holds a grudge against Pimblett, openly expressed his desire to see Pimblett removed from the UFC following the loss. Despite being ranked higher than both Gaethje and Pimblett, Tsarukyan was overlooked for a shot at the interim title and only recently secured a victory over Dan Hooker at UFC Qatar. Watching Pimblett’s brutal fifth-round loss firsthand, Tsarukyan was blunt in his assessment. Speaking with Ariel Helwani on The Tonight Show, he said, “After that fight, he needs to take five or six years off. It was so bad for his brain. He was already stupid. Now he’s going to get crazier… I thought the UFC should cut him now. He’s the worst fighter in the UFC… He’s so bad, like trash, a zero fighter.”
Fan Take: This controversy highlights the sometimes contentious path to title contention in the UFC, where hype can overshadow consistent results. For fight fans, it raises important questions about matchmaking and the longevity of fighters’ careers within the sport, emphasizing the need for merit-based progression to maintain competitive integrity.
