Denis Frimpong achieved a notable comeback victory on Saturday night, bouncing back from his widely circulated gym confrontation with Paddy Pimblett.
Earlier this year, `The Baddy` attracted significant attention when footage of him participating in a gym fight went viral across social media platforms.
Paddy Pimblett and the 6-2 MMA prospect Denis Frimpong initially engaged in a public online disagreement before opting to settle their dispute face-to-face.
During the session, the UFC lightweight contender applied his signature rear-naked choke submission. He then sparked controversy by refusing to release the hold for a period, despite Frimpong`s clear and frantic tapping out, an action that nearly escalated into a larger physical altercation.
Denis Frimpong Silences Haters with Impressive KO Victory
Following the intense encounter with Pimblett, Frimpong was unexpectedly propelled into the public eye for the first time in his career.
The 30-year-old recently shared with talkSPORT that the viral gym footage unfortunately resulted in him gaining considerably more detractors than supporters.
However, Frimpong took a significant step towards silencing his critics with a stunning performance and win at OKTAGON 71.
Demonstrating resilience, Frimpong overcame adversity during the fight to stop the 7-1-1 fighter Arijan Topallaj with strikes in the third and final round of their bout, which took place at BMW Park in Munich, Germany.
What`s Next for Paddy Pimblett?
For Paddy Pimblett, the viral gym interaction with Frimpong effectively served as a preparatory bout for what would become the most significant fight of his professional MMA career to date.
In April, the English fighter delivered a dominant performance against Michael Chandler, ultimately securing a third-round stoppage victory at UFC 314.
Pimblett is now publicly aiming for a high-profile title eliminator fight against the former interim lightweight champion, Justin Gaethje.
He stated that a win against Gaethje would definitively place him next in line for a championship opportunity. Pimblett mentioned this matchup is a distinct possibility, contingent on Gaethje`s willingness to accept, noting that it would involve Gaethje fighting a lower-ranked opponent.
Pimblett expressed his preferred timeline and location for the potential clash, stating he “would like to fight him in Abu Dhabi in October, that Pay-per-view, that’s when I want to fight.” He confidently added that based on his recent performance against Chandler, he believes he has the capability to finish Justin Gaethje if they were to fight.
