Paddy Pimblett Participates in Annual Grappling Tournament Featuring Lengthy Match and Unexpected Outcome

MMA120
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UFC star Paddy Pimblett is quickly approaching fight shape ahead of his anticipated return to the Octagon in 2025.

Paddy Pimblett is known for significant weight gains between fight camps, which has drawn criticism from fans, pundits, and fellow fighters. However, one thing that can’t be questioned is his stamina and ability to get into fight shape quickly, as he demonstrated during an annual grappling competition in Liverpool.

Pimblett, who submitted King Green in a signature performance at UFC 304, has established himself as having some of the most formidable grappling in the lightweight division. He has proven to be dangerous off his back, successfully implementing numerous crafty submissions throughout his MMA career.

Every year, Pimblett and his team host a unique grappling competition at his Liverpool gym called ‘King of the Mat.’ Ahead of the holidays, he participated in this year’s competition, squaring off against one of the most creative grappling talents in the world, Matty Holmes.

The event turned into a battle royale of sorts at Next Generation MMA Liverpool, with Pimblett and Holmes engaging in a spirited match in front of an intrigued crowd. While Pimblett has historically dominated this competition, this year proved to be quite different.

Despite both athletes’ abilities to secure submissions, neither was able to gain the upper hand; the match was eventually halted after about an hour of intense scrambles.

Next Generation MMA Liverpool shared the results of this grappling marathon on their Instagram page.

They posted, “Another fantastic king of the mat. After 2 1/2 hours of nonstop rolling, we decided to jointly award the win to [Paddy Pimblett] and [Matty Holmes]. Both are so high level they ended up cancelling each other out for over an hour straight. Well done lads.”

Pimblett has been training at Next Generation MMA since he was 15, inspired by an iconic clash between Rich Franklin and Vitor Belfort at UFC 103. Nearly 15 years later, he has quickly ascended to become one of MMA’s biggest stars as he rises through the UFC ranks.

Holmes, Pimblett’s opponent in this year’s competition, is an accomplished Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu standout, with multiple appearances at Polaris competitions and a recent three-bout winning streak in professional grappling at Grapple Fest.

His last professional appearance was at Polaris 24 last year, where he fell to Jason Rau by first-round armbar. As of now, Holmes’ return to submission grappling has yet to be confirmed.

While it remains uncertain who Pimblett will face next in the UFC, potential new challengers are emerging, including UFC featherweight champion Ilia Topuria, who has a complicated history with Pimblett and recently announced his intention to move up to lightweight to vie for dual championship status.

As he awaits his next UFC assignment, Pimblett is taking some time away from combat sports and managing his dietary habits. He’s likely to return at the UFC’s upcoming event in London on March 22 at The 02 Arena, although an opponent for his next fight has not yet been announced.

Pimblett made waves in his UFC tenure soon after debuting with a thrilling victory over Luigi Vendramini. He has since secured wins against notable opponents such as Tony Ferguson, Jared Gordon, and Jordan Leavitt.

We could be just days away from getting more clarity on Pimblett’s return to the Octagon in 2025. For now, he continues to showcase his impressive grappling skills, which may present challenges for his future rivals.

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