Are we yet to see Paddy Pimblett truly tested in the Octagon? Sure, he beat King Green in his last bout—impressively no doubt—but his upcoming bout will see him go up against a top-10 opponent, Michael Chandler. Despite Michael Chandler’s spotty UFC record, he’s no walk in the park. So will ‘Iron’ Mike be the one to derail Scouser’s hype train? Not according to former featherweight king Alexander Volkanovski.

While talking on the FREESTYLEBENDER podcast, Volkanovski, who is scheduled to face Diego Lopez in the main event, weighed in on his take on Pimblett’s chances against Chandler in the co-main. Volkanovski said: “I can’t see him out-grappling Chandler early on, maybe get in positions and maybe look for submissions and stuff like that, so, it’s going to be an interesting one.”

That’s what happened at UFC 304 when Pimblett faced King Green. In the first round, ‘The Baddy’ capitalized on a takedown attempt by Green, locking in the guillotine choke before jumping guard to finish the sequence with a triangle choke. And the result? King Green went to sleep. This was, by far, the Scouser’s most impressive performance since joining the UFC, highlighting how dangerous ‘The Baddy’ is with his grappling. But as we mentioned earlier, Chandler is the true litmus test for fighters who want to enter the upper echelons of the toughest division in the sport.

Although Paddy Pimblett is known for proving his doubters wrong, Michael Chandler‘s explosiveness in the earlier rounds puts Pimblett in a plethora of threats. While talking about Pimblett’s chances to win the fight, Volkanovski explained: “Chandler is so dangerous, explosive right! You know he’s going to come guns blazing”, narrowing down how Chandler can stand as the victor in the fight. A paradox indeed, if Pimblett survives Chandler’s early aggression and offense, he can take home the biggest win of his career in the final rounds of the five-round co-main event.

Veterans stand divided over Paddy Pimblett vs Michael Chandler

While Volkanovski couldn’t pick his favorite to win the fight, UFC lightweight contender Renato Moicano believes Paddy Pimblett will win, saying: “I hope he wins as it’ll be better for the division.” This comment by ‘Money’ Moicano, perhaps, speaks to the anomalous nature of Chandler’s position in the division, where despite losing, manages to stay relevant by being in exciting fights. And like Volkanovski, Beneil Dariush also gave Pimblett the ground advantage over Chandler. Moreover, UFC debutant Patricio Pitbull favored Pimblett, saying: ““It looks like Paddy Pimblett is in the better moment of his career, and he’s going to win that fight.”

However, fighters like Dustin Poirier believe Chandler’s experience at the top level will show in the fight. Chandler stands as the underdog in betting odds for the fight, yet his former opponent believes Chandler will show Pimblett that there are levels to this game. “Even though he’s a b—-, Chandler all day go heavy on the money,” Poirier wrote on X.

UFC legend Chael Sonnen said, “Chandler will actually kill him“. Emphasizing Chandler’s experience in fighting the promotion’s best, despite being on a losing streak too. We don’t expect ‘Iron’ Mike to let go of any chances to win the fight, whether it’s through his explosive punches or his grappling. Pimblett’s inexperience at the top level can turn out to be his biggest weakness.

Paddy ‘The Baddy’ Pimblett is now an established name in the sport, even though his career has just started in the UFC. The Scouser has the potential to become the company’s biggest draw if he plays his cards right, and keeps his promotional winning streak going. Even if Michael Chandler stands in his way, ‘The Baddy’ is famous for turning the tides in his favor. The submission threat he carries alongside his grit can tailor him to a suit perfect to counter whatever weapons Chandler may throw at the Scouser.