Written by Paddy Pimblett | Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images
Paddy Pimblett has never fought for a UFC title, but he definitely had a strong opinion about Renato Moicano’s performance after coming up short in his bid at becoming champion after falling to Islam Makhachev at UFC 311 this past weekend.
The always outspoken Brit blasted Moicano for tapping out from a D’arce choke after Makhachev secured the submission midway through the opening round. Pimblett repeatedly told Moicano to “go to sleep” from the D’Arce choke and later said he “tapped after like two seconds like a bitch” when the fighters started exchanging words over social media.
Retired UFC legend Matt Brown believes Pimblett is ultimately getting what he wanted out of the entire ordeal with Moicano paying attention to his criticism.
“I’m betting it’s just Paddy trying to talk and be in the news and get his voice out there and just say things,” Brown said on the latest episode of The Fighter vs. The Writer. “Because he’s a jiu-jitsu guy. He knows very well when he is caught and when it’s over. You start seeing the tunnel close is what happens when you almost go to sleep. What’s the point at this point?
“Going to sleep doesn’t prove anything. You know when it’s over. We all do jiu-jitsu all the time. We know when we’re caught. We know the end is inevitable. There’s no more escaping. You tap or go to sleep. Just tap. There’s no shame in it. You got caught. That’s it.”
Pimblett isn’t the first fighter to criticize another athlete for tapping out rather than going to sleep from a choke, but Brown just doesn’t know why that’s the immediate reaction.
As an 18-year veteran in the sport, who now coaches athletes at his gym in Ohio, Brown teaches the fundamentals in all aspects of MMA. In this instance, Brown feels like Moicano knows exactly where he went wrong after getting caught in the submission, but calling him names because he tapped out is just utter nonsense.
“It doesn’t prove anything,” Brown said. “In training, specifically, you’re training to not get in a submission. Not how long can your joints last in a submission so you tap out. It’s just silly. Again, I think it’s just Paddy trying to get out there in the news and him being himself and maybe trying to start some shit with Moicano because he wants that fight, which is fine.
“But Paddy knows as well as anyone, when you’re caught, you’re caught and you can tap or go to sleep. Nothing’s going to be better because you went to sleep. No one’s going to respect you more. You’re not going to get a bonus on your paycheck. There’s literally not a single thing that’s going to come out of you going to sleep that you wouldn’t get out of tapping.”
During his post-fight interview, Moicano admitted regret he didn’t put on a better performance and his first and perhaps only chance at becoming UFC champion ended with him being submitted in the opening round.
Even on 24 hours’ notice, Brown believes that Moicano could have potentially given Makhachev some problems, but the result would have likely stayed the same no matter what.
“They are similar fighters,” Brown said about Moicano moving from Beneil Dariush to Makhachev. “Your training camp would not be totally different. Maybe you do more wrestling with Islam. I think that would be about the only difference. It probably wouldn’t have helped. Islam is that guy. He looked phenomenal.”
In the end, Pimblett probably got exactly what he always wanted because Moicano responded and the fighters have since asked for the chance to finally face each other in the octagon.
It’s a matchup that’s been discussed in the past and now Pimblett might get his wish with Moicano coming off the loss to Makhachev.
As much as Brown disagrees with Pimblett’s statement, he does like the fight against Moicano and it’s a matchup that the UFC should at least consider.
“I think it’s him just talking,” Brown said about Pimblett. “Just trying to keep his name out in the news or make a post with a lot of likes or whatever.
“I’d like to see Paddy and Moicano fight. I think that’s a solid matchup to make at this point.”