‘The new boy is in town’: Paddy Pimblett had 2 very different reactions to Conor McGregor’s UFC 329 injury

Paddy Pimblett displayed contrasting reactions to Conor McGregor's catastrophic return at UFC 329. In a captured moment immediately after McGregor's 69-second knockout loss to Max Holloway due to a leg injury, Pimblett expressed opportunistic enthusiasm, declaring "the new boy is in town" and suggesting he could become the face of the UFC organization. However, when addressing reporters at the post-fight press conference, Pimblett adopted a more sympathetic tone, acknowledging the difficulty of McGregor's comeback attempt and the physical toll of extended time away from competition. "It was sad to see," Pimblett said. "But that's the thing with this sport, you've got to stay consistent, you've got to keep fighting." Pimblett has emerged as one of the UFC's rising lightweights since joining in 2021, compiling seven consecutive victories over notable opponents before his interim title loss to Justin Gaethje in January. On Saturday, he dramatically defeated top-10 ranked Benoit Saint Denis in just 52 seconds via submission. With momentum clearly on his side and strong crowd support evident throughout fight week, Pimblett has set his sights on championship gold. He expressed willingness to face top contenders including Arman Tsarukyan, Ilia Topuria, and Charles Oliveira, declaring ambitions to become the first undisputed champion from Liverpool.