Pimblett vows to shoot for takedown in 10 seconds if Gaethje rematch happens

Paddy Pimblett has outlined a dramatically different game plan for a potential rematch with UFC lightweight champion Justin Gaethje, vowing to take the fight to the ground immediately rather than repeat the striking battle that handed him his first UFC defeat.

Speaking on the How U Livin J Piven podcast, Pimblett was direct about his intentions. “If I fought him again, I’d shoot in in the first 10 seconds, put him on his back and choke his ass out,” the 31-year-old said.

Gaethje defeated Pimblett by unanimous decision at UFC 324 in January, claiming the interim lightweight title across five rounds. Pimblett has since acknowledged that his ego derailed his preparation, as he chose to test himself on the feet against one of the division’s most dangerous strikers rather than lean on his grappling — the area widely considered his strongest suit.

Pimblett wasted little time rebuilding his title credentials. At UFC 329 in July, he submitted Benoit Saint Denis in just 52 seconds in the first round, reviving his case for another shot at the top of the lightweight division.

The landscape shifted further in June when Gaethje captured the undisputed lightweight championship by defeating Ilia Topuria at UFC Freedom 250. Despite a well-documented personal rivalry with Topuria, Pimblett made clear that the belt takes priority over settling scores.

“I’d take a rematch with Gaethje before Ilia, because I want to be a world champion,” Pimblett said. “I hate Ilia, don’t get me wrong… Obviously, I’d rather beat Ilia than beat Justin, but Justin’s got the belt and that’s what we do it for. To be recognized as the best in the world, to be the undisputed champion. That’s been my goal since I was 15, 16, so that’s what I want to do.”

Whether a rematch materialises will depend on the UFC’s plans for Gaethje’s first title defence, but Pimblett’s swift finish of Saint Denis has kept him firmly in the conversation.