Gaethje bloodies and breaks Pimblett’s heart at UFC 324

Warning: This report contains references to suicide.

Liverpool’s Paddy Pimblett suffered heartbreak against Justin Gaethje in his quest to claim a UFC interim title as he lost on points to the American in Las Vegas.

Pimblett, 31, was as brave as he was bloodied through five action-packed rounds that had both men swinging at the final bell.

Gaethje rolled back the years for a vintage performance, forcing Pimblett to raise his game to a new level and fight fire with fire.

Both men raised their arms at the end, but the judges rightly gave 37-year-old Gaethje the victory on all three scorecards.

“Paddy is right, Scousers do not get knocked out,” Gaethje said.

“My coach was definitely upset at me after the first round, but I just love this so much, it’s really hard to control myself sometimes.

“I knew I had to put him on his back foot, he is very dangerous and has great timing. I had to steal his momentum and confidence.”

With victory, Gaethje claimed the interim lightweight title for the second time and will now face absent champion Ilia Topuria once he returns from a personal hiatus.

Pimblett applauded Gaethje as the scorecards were read out, taking his first UFC loss and fourth defeat of his career with grace.

The Briton was the favourite going into the contest and showed incredible resilience and heart, but could not control the storm of Gaethje.

“I wanted to be walking away with that belt. I know how tough I am and I don’t need to prove that to anyone,” Pimblett said.

“I think 48-47 was a fair scorecard. I won’t lie, he hit me with a body shot in the first round and it got me. I thought I was winning the round up to that point.

“You live and you learn. I’m 31, I will be back better.”

Pimblett again used his post-fight interview to shine a light on mental health issues.

“In a few of my post-fight interviews before, I’ve mentioned men killing themselves. Two lads who I know have killed themselves over the last few months,” Pimblett said.

“Men, speak up, don’t bottle your feelings up.”

On a night where he attempted to make fighting history for Liverpool as its first UFC title holder, Pimblett showed no signs of nerves.

He danced to and inside the octagon, playing up to a raucous crowd that expressed plenty of love for him despite him being the away fighter.

UFC was debuting with a new broadcaster and it was a marker of Pimblett’s star quality that he was chosen, alongside Gaethje, as the headline act.

After a tentative opening minute, the tide broke on a frantic fight that never slowed down.

Gaethje, who has 20 knockouts on his record, sent Pimblett to the canvas with a right hand that would find success repeatedly through the contest.

Pimblett scrambled and survived, landing a knee on Gaethje in response.

The American kept his foot on the gas in the second and Pimblett matched his pace where he could, but found himself on the back foot trying to survive the onslaught.

A massive left-right combination dropped Pimblett in the final seconds and he appeared moments away from being finished when the bell rang.

Just as it seemed Pimblett was on the verge of being broken, he stormed back in the third round.

With blood dripping down from his eye, a right hand meant Gaethje took a backwards step for the first time.

It was almost a turning of the tide, only for Pimblett’s momentum to be halted by a low blow call.

He landed a left hand after the break in action but Gaethje responded with his own.

After such a brilliant round, Pimblett found himself on the canvas again in the fourth courtesy of two heavy right hands – but again, he got back up.

Despite both men looked increasingly tired, the action did not stop as Pimblett narrowly missed with a spinning back fist.

The final round had both swinging for the rafters and the crowd rose to their feet in feverish anticipation.

Both men were hurt again but there would be no finish for either, as it was the bell that called the end of a brilliant firefight.

It is 16 years and four days since a 15-year-old Pimblett walked into his first MMA gym and told everyone he was going to become a UFC champion.

Everyone within earshot laughed at the kid with a buzzcut and braces.

But Pimblett’s unshakeable self-belief led him to a shot at the UFC interim lightweight title, and even in defeat he silences his doubters.

Gaethje is an elite operator, the first fighter to claim two interim titles in the UFC, and has been competing at the top of the division for eight years.

Pimblett was beaten, but he was not swept aside.

His career has been supercharged as much by naysayers as it has his charm and talent.

Pimblett spent over £100,000 on tickets to bring some of his closest allies to Vegas and they will leave firmly believing their hero can compete at the top of the division.