“I Don’t Cry” – Paddy Pimblett Reveals How His UFC 324 Loss to Justin Gaethje Was Different

Ever since Ilia Topuria lost to Justin Gaethje at UFC Freedom 250, retiring in the chair in the fourth round, his fans began to look at Paddy Pimblett’s own disadvantage against the American in a different light.

For the uninitiated, Pimblett suffered his first UFC loss to Gaethje at UFC 324 in January 2026. The two fought for the interim lightweight title in the main event of the promotion’s first Paramount+ card.

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However, the IRC was also surrounded by controversy, as multiple eye-rolling and a low blow against Pimblett sparked debate over the referee’s decision not to take the point. The two judges finally scored the fight 49-46 in favor of Gaethje.

Pimblett argued that they could have been more responsible in officiating the draw. But his mma defeat remains in the memory. Almost 10 months later, the Liverpool native opened up about how he dealt with the loss and why it affected him differently than previous setbacks.

Paddy Pimblett Reveals How UFC 324 Helped The Disadvantage Grow

Pimblett’s loss to Gaethje arguably aged better following his impressive comeback at UFC 329, where he submitted Benedict Saint Denis in just 52 seconds. Looking back at UFC 324, the Englishman showed that for the first time in his career he didn’t cry after a defeat and instead took the event with his head held high.

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In a recent interview with All Out Fighting, Pimblett was asked how the loss to Gaethje compared to the three losses he had suffered outside of the UFC.

To which Pimblett said, “You know what’s crazy? It affects me less than the other fights I’ve lost before. When I lost 18, 22, 23, and 23, it seriously affected my sanity. When I lost this one, I didn’t even cry.”

And he added, “Every other fight I’ve lost, I’ve sat in my room and cried my eyes out for days. I’ll never do this.”

Pimblett admitted that defeat was something he had to experience in order to become a better fighter, and he believes he is now taking the right steps. And he added, “This one, as I knew, was growing. I knew that I needed to do better, and I did this.”