Daniel Cormier: Paddy Pimblett needs to change approach, respect Jared Gordon more if they rematch

Daniel Cormier thinks Paddy Pimblett needs to stop being so dismissive of Jared Gordon if they rematch.

Pimblett (20-3 MMA, 4-0 UFC) edged out Gordon (19-6 MMA, 7-5 UFC) in a controversial decision win at UFC 282 this past December, and the popular fighter from Liverpool, England, disagreed with the public outrage.

In a recent video from his hospital bed, Pimblett went on a rant toward Gordon and expressed his desire to run things back. Pimblett said he injured his ankle in Round 1, which required surgery, and vowed he would have put Gordon away had he not been compromised. But Cormier thinks that attitude could cost “The Baddy.”

“He acted as if it wasn’t even competitive. Hey hindsight is (20/20),” Cormier said on his YouTube channel. “But now looking back, at least he admits the fight was closer than he originally thought. I think he has to take a bit of a different approach with the Jared Gordon situation because I interviewed him before the fight and he almost dismissed Gordon like Gordon wasn’t on his level.

“And now he’s saying he’s going to get him out there very early. I think the approach maybe needs to change a little to where he respects Gordon a little bit more after spending 15 minutes in the octagon with him. I’m not saying fear him. I’m not saying be hesitant in your approach against him. I’m saying respect him to the point that you don’t suffer from maybe having an expectation.”

While Cormier thinks a rematch this soon may not make sense, he admits it would have his attention.

“Generally, we don’t get these rematches early in (their) career,” Cormier said. “The guys have to kind of comeback together after winning some when they want rematches. But I will say this: I’m interested in this one even more now because I’ve got to know if Paddy Pimblett can do it better, or what – maybe Jared Gordon completes the job as he thought he did in Fight 1. So this one has some meat on the bone.”

As Pimblett starts his road to recovery from ankle surgery, Gordon is slated to fight Bobby Green on April 22 at UFC Fight Night 222.