Paddy Pimblett collects $1,000 from Daniel Cormier after World Cup bet

Daniel Cormier paid Paddy Pimblett $1,000 in cash after losing a FIFA World Cup bet ahead of UFC 329 in Las Vegas. The UFC Hall of Famer had wagered on the United States to advance past Belgium in the Round of 16, but the American team lost 1–4 and crashed out of the tournament. Cormier admitted his confidence was boosted by the U.S. victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina in the group stage, leading him to make what he later acknowledged as an overly optimistic bet. He settled the wager when the two met in Las Vegas before the card.

Both men are in the city for UFC 329, scheduled for Saturday, July 11 at T-Mobile Arena. Pimblett will compete in the co-main event against French lightweight Benoit St. Denis as he seeks to bounce back from his first UFC loss to Justin Gaethje earlier in the year. Cormier will be on commentary duty for the numbered event.

Cormier has been vocal about American soccer's untapped potential. Despite the country's limited history in the sport relative to basketball or football, he believes the U.S. would dominate if top athletes committed to soccer professionally. He has even suggested that Major League Soccer would rival the English Premier League if America's elite athletes pursued the sport at scale—a bold prediction that Pimblett heard firsthand in Las Vegas.