“I think anywhere this fight goes, I’m gonna win. The only way I lose here is if I get hit with a big, crazy, wild shot on the chin. And as you all know, Scousers don’t get knocked out. There’s no way that’s happening.” Paddy Pimblett quipped as he joined Michael Chandler on ESPN MMA’s YouTube channel for a video chat. “Scousers don’t get knocked out apparently, but they’ve never been hit by the likes of me.” Chander returned the favor with a scathing. It is safe to say that the UFC 314 featured bout is a contest between young blood and the old guard!

Fresh off a loss to Charles Oliveira that might have made other fighters hit pause, Chandler is doing the opposite—gearing up for another blockbuster. ‘Iron’ didn’t plan on returning so soon, but a call from Hunter Campbell during his vacation changed everything. With zero hesitation, he accepted the fight against Pimblett. For the Englishman, this bout is more than just a matchup—it’s a chance for Pimblett to solidify his position in the lightweight division.

Right now, it’s the calm before the storm, but all roads lead to the Kaseya Center in Miami on April 12, where the Octagon will once again become a proving ground. As anticipation builds, fight veterans have begun weighing in. One of the most recent voices to speak up is none other than former UFC middleweight champion Michael Bisping. ‘The Count’ broke down the matchup on his YouTube channel, speaking on just how pivotal this fight could be for both men.

“Paddy Pimblett is not necessarily put up or shut up for him. If he loses to Michael Chandler, he is still a young guy. It’ll be his first loss in UFC, but it’s not the end of the world. It’ll be a bump in the road, he’ll have to regroup, he’ll have to rebound, and he’ll have to start the win streak again. But if he gets the job done against Michael Chandler. And he just might do that if he can do that. I’m telling you, Paddy Pimblett is probably one fight away from fighting for the belt.”

The former champ added that even if fans think Pimblett ‘cherrypicked’ his fight matchups, the competition was aggressive. Bisping said, “He was slow rolled much like a lot of other fighters. Suga Sean O’Malley, along the way, I didn’t always fight the best competition. But the competition has progressively gotten harder for Paddy Pimblett.”

Pimblett has faced tough opponents like Jared Gordon, Tony Ferguson, and King Green—and managed to win against them. On the other hand, the Missouri native is already 38 years old, and as a former Bellator champ, he’s at the twilight of his career. Bisping believes Chandler needs to win this fight to reenter the title conversation and remain relevant in the division.

Michael Bisping gives Michael Chandler a reality check ahead of UFC 314

Michael Bisping also his thoughts and offered a straightforward reality check for ‘Iron’. “For Michael Chandler, if Chandler can’t beat Paddy Pimblett, then again, all this championship talk needs to stop. ‘They see you at the top stuff’—you might have seen Chandler, he’s dressing up in the Paddy wig and looking ripped! The man never stops, okay? But he’s got to win, otherwise, he’s got to stop about seeing you at the top.”

On the other hand, among the many veterans weighing in on this showdown, Daniel Cormier showed his support for Chandler. During a recent episode of the Good Guy/Bad Guy podcast, ‘DC’ backed the veteran’s firepower: “One thing Paddy Pimblett better realize, Chael, is that he cannot get hit by Iron Mike. Because that right hand will shut your lights out. But I have to say, Paddy looked incredible against Bobby Green—I’ve never seen him perform better.”

Chandler undeniably brings more experience to the table and has the explosive skill set to bounce back into the win column. Pimblett, however, is riding a wave of momentum and confidence. All questions will be answered on fight night—April 12 at UFC 314. Are you ready to see how it all unfolds? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!