UFC lightweight Paddy Pimblett has given his prediction for the upcoming crossover boxing match between former middleweight king Anderson Silva and YouTuber-turned-pugilist Jake Paul.
On October 29, Silva and Paul will collide in the main event of a Showtime pay-per-view event in Arizona. For “The Problem Child,” the Brazilian mixed martial arts great will represent his fifth professional opponent, and third to have come from an MMA background.
After knocking out former Bellator and ONE Championship titleholder Ben Askren last April, Paul’s next step-up in competition came in the form of Tyron Woodley, who once ruled over the UFC welterweight division.
Whilst the 25-year-old had hoped to ride a pair of victories over “The Chosen One,” the second of which came via knockout, into his first contest against a seasoned pro-boxer, a few failed matchups have left Paul back at the doorstep of an MMA veteran.
This time, however, Paul won’t be throwing down with a former MMA champion who was known for their wrestling prowess. In Anderson “The Spider” Silva, the Cleveland native will be testing his boxing skills against one of the best strikers in the history of the UFC.
That, one rising star inside the Octagon says, is likely to be a challenge too much for the former Disney star.
Pimblett: ‘Paul Is Gonna Realize What It’s Like Fighting A Striker’
During a recent episode of his Chattin Pony Podcast, Pimblett discussed the upcoming showdown in the ring with former UFC light heavyweight champion Tito Ortiz.
Ortiz, who suffered a brutal first-round knockout loss to Silva inside the ring last September, first expressed his doubts over Paul’s chances, suggesting that “The Spider” is simply too good of a striker.
“One of the best strikers in MMA history. He’s coming up on the fight now against Jake Paul. I don’t think Jake Paul’s gonna make it out of three rounds,” Ortiz said. “That’s my opinion. But I think it’s gonna be a great fight. I know Jake Paul puts in great work.”
Piggybacking off of that, Pimblett agreed that Paul is unlikely to make it out of the third frame. But in a firmer prediction, “The Baddy” went as far as to suggest that the 25-year-old will have “no chance” when he shares the squared circle with Silva.
“As you say, he’s one of the GOATs, definitely,” Pimblett said. “I’m with you on the prediction as well. I can’t see Jake Paul getting out of three. There’s no chance. He’s gonna realize what it’s like fighting an actual striker, and he’s gonna get bingo’d.”
While many have previously criticized Paul for facing opponents from the mixed martial arts pool of fighters who are significantly older than him, his latest contest certainly has a different feel to it.
Many have suggested that Silva’s pure striking talents negate any advantage Paul could gain by being over 20 years younger. Even UFC President Dana White, who has been vocal about his thoughts on Paul’s boxing résumé, said that it’s “about time” the polarizing combat sports newcomer faces a “real” challenge.
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