The team behind Paddy Pimblett has been carefully studying Charles Oliveira`s performances to inform their training strategies.
Following a notable face-off in the cage at UFC 317, a lightweight title bout between Pimblett and Ilia Topuria appears likely in the near future.
Pimblett himself had voiced criticism regarding Oliveira`s approach in the recent vacant lightweight title fight against Topuria, which saw `Do Bronx` suffer a swift first-round stoppage.
Although the fight concluded quickly, Pimblett`s head coach recently discussed the valuable lessons they were able to extract from the matchup as they gear up to face `El Matador`.
Instead of exclusively focusing on Ilia Topuria`s successful actions, Pimblett`s team is utilizing Charles Oliveira`s performance as a prime example of mistakes to avoid.
Coach Highlights How Oliveira Showed What Not To Do Against Topuria and Chandler
In a recent interview with Submission Radio, Paul Rimmer, head coach at Next Generation MMA, commented on the anticipated lightweight title challenge for Paddy Pimblett against Ilia Topuria.
Rimmer explained that the team has been analyzing `El Matador` for quite some time, having anticipated a confrontation once the former featherweight champion moved up in weight.
Pimblett`s coach, who was critical of Charles Oliveira`s strategy at UFC 317, stated that `Do Bronx`s` fight provides a clear blueprint of actions one should *not* take when facing Topuria.
However, this isn`t the first time the popular Brazilian fighter has inadvertently provided crucial strategic insights for Pimblett`s team.
Rimmer also noted that they had previously identified Oliveira`s errors in his earlier fight against Michael Chandler at UFC 309. These observations were then incorporated into their preparation for UFC 314, where Pimblett secured a third-round stoppage victory over Chandler.
“The best thing for us is watching him fight more against lightweights. Charles is a great one for us because he shows you what not to do in a lot of fights.
“With the Chandler fight, we watched Charles fight Chandler and then we used a load of stuff that Charles didn’t do in that fight which he should’ve done and we used that to make up the victory in the last one.
“So, we just watched Charles fight Ilia now and there’s a lot of stuff you can see that you shouldn’t do against Ilia so like I say, we learn constantly.”
Paul Rimmer Believes Replicating Ilia Topuria is Easier Than Paddy Pimblett
While Paul Rimmer feels that observing Ilia Topuria compete against lightweights is the most effective way to analyze him, he acknowledges that there isn`t extensive footage available of this.
Despite this, Paddy Pimblett`s coach is confident that their own fighting style presents a particularly challenging puzzle for opponents to solve in preparation.
Rimmer put forward the argument that Paddy Pimblett`s unique and unconventional style makes him significantly harder to simulate for sparring purposes compared to Ilia Topuria.
“Everyone thinks Ilia is this like unbeatable bogeyman in this division and that you should fear him and all that sort of stuff. But, Paddy’s also on a long win streak and I can tell you this right now, if you had to go and find a sparring partner that matches exactly what Paddy is and exactly what Ilia is, I’d be able to find a better Ilia than I can a Paddy. I can tell you that right now.”
Jack Thornley