JRE MMA Show #188 with Paddy Pimblett

Episode of The Joe Rogan Experience · November 11, 2026 · 3 h 2 min

Joe Rogan and UFC lightweight Paddy Pimblett discuss his feud with Ilia Topuria, the lightweight division, Cage Warriors, weight cutting, MMA rules and fight history.

Summary

Joe Rogan hosted UFC lightweight Paddy Pimblett on a JRE MMA Show episode. After banter about Pimblett's Liverpool accent and American food, the two discussed the state of the lightweight division, Pimblett's submission of Benoît Saint-Denis with an improvised Peruvian-necktie variation he calls the "pad tie," and his wish to fight at Madison Square Garden and, ideally, Anfield. Pimblett described starting MMA at 15 at the same Liverpool gym where he still trains, and praised Cage Warriors as the best promotion in Europe and a proven route to the UFC.

Pimblett recounted the origin of his feud with Ilia Topuria, arguing it stemmed from a misunderstood tweet and that Topuria used his name for publicity; he said he respects Topuria as a fighter but not as a person. Rogan defended Topuria's skills and said a Pimblett–Topuria fight was the big money matchup. Pimblett also spoke about his loss to Justin Gaethje, eye pokes and fouls in that bout, his ankle surgeries and depression after the Jared Gordon fight, and his loyalty to teammates, saying he would never fight anyone from his gym.

The pair agreed that Pride-style knees to grounded opponents and soccer kicks should be legal while stomps should not, debated eye-poke penalties and fighters continuing with serious injuries, and discussed weight cutting, including Pimblett's nutritionist Paul Reid. They praised Conor McGregor's impact on the sport's popularity, previewed fights including Ciryl Gane versus Josh Hokit, and Rogan stated that the oblique kick would be made illegal. Pimblett said he hoped to fight in April.

Chapters

0:13
Accents, food and American portions
Rogan and Pimblett open with jokes about Pimblett's Liverpool accent, Coca-Cola refills and chocolate.
3:59
Madison Square Garden, taxes and Anfield dreams
Pimblett explains he will miss the MSG card, complains about double taxation and says he wants to fight at MSG and Anfield.
8:49
The lightweight division and the Saint-Denis submission
They assess the 155-pound title picture and break down Pimblett's improvised choke of Benoît Saint-Denis.
15:32
Origins and Cage Warriors
Pimblett describes starting MMA at 15, his amateur career and why Cage Warriors is the top European pipeline to the UFC.
28:14
The Ilia Topuria feud
Pimblett recounts how a misread tweet sparked the feud and a hotel confrontation, and argues Topuria used his name for clout.
35:50
Walkout persona, music and The Ultimate Fighter
They discuss Pimblett's switch from playful walkout to focus, walkout songs, the Rory MacDonald phone-number story and favorite TUF seasons.
46:17
Sparring and Pride rules
Pimblett defends regular sparring and both men argue for knees to grounded opponents and soccer kicks, recalling Pride fighters.
58:50
Weight cutting and decisions
Pimblett details his rehydration weight and brutal early cuts, and they revisit disputed decisions like Jones–Reyes.
1:13:15
Crossover matches, personas and gym loyalty
They criticize grappling side-matches and acted personas, then Pimblett explains why he would never fight a teammate.
1:48:25
Injuries, the Gaethje fight and eye pokes
Pimblett describes his ankle surgeries and depression, the fouls in the Gaethje fight, and both discuss eye-poke penalties.
2:04:41
Beers, stadiums and Conor McGregor
Over drinks they discuss stadium fights at Anfield and the Bernabéu, Irish fans in Vegas and McGregor's impact on MMA.
2:24:58
Weekend card, rules and closing
They preview fights, debate takedown stats, the oblique kick ban and Pimblett's camp plans before wrapping up.

Key points

What was said, by whom, with the exact words. Timestamps jump to the moment.

Paddy Pimblett
Pimblett says he anticipated Saint-Denis's takedown attempt but did not know he would land the submission he improvised.
“And I knew he was going to do it. And I knew he'd try and power out. but I'll be honest I didn't know if I'd catch that”
Listen from 12:42 · Paddy Pimblett vs. Benoît Saint-Denis
Joe Rogan
Rogan argues that martial arts evolved more since the UFC began than in all prior history.
“Martial arts have evolved more in the last 33 years since the UFC emerged than it has in the last 33,000 years”
Listen from 17:29 · Ultimate Fighting Championship
Paddy Pimblett
Pimblett argues that modern MMA requires well-rounded fighters, unlike the early era.
“You could be one-dimensional and still become a world champion. Now you can't. You have to be well-rounded or you will get beat”
Listen from 17:52 · Ultimate Fighting Championship
Paddy Pimblett
Pimblett recommends Cage Warriors as the route to the UFC for European fighters.
“if you want to get in the UFC and you're in Europe, you need to sign up for Cage Warriors”
Listen from 25:03 · Cage Warriors
Paddy Pimblett
Pimblett says he did not know about the Russia–Georgia war when his tweet started the feud with Topuria.
“Lad, we don't get taught in our schools about Georgia and Russia going to war, you know?”
Listen from 29:20 · Paddy Pimblett–Ilia Topuria rivalry
Paddy Pimblett
Pimblett argues Topuria rose quickly in part by using Pimblett's name for publicity.
“I don't think he would have been built up that fast if he didn't use my name for clout”
Listen from 33:29 · Paddy Pimblett–Ilia Topuria rivalry
Paddy Pimblett
Pimblett says he respects Topuria's fighting ability but not his character.
“I respect him as a fighter. I just don't respect him as a person”
Listen from 33:51 · Paddy Pimblett–Ilia Topuria rivalry
Paddy Pimblett
Pimblett describes his in-cage mindset that only his opponent and the referee matter once the fight begins.
“There's only two people in the world that matter, and it's him, because he's trying to kill me, and the ref”
Listen from 37:03
Joe Rogan
Rogan argues Michael Chandler should not have sat out two years waiting for a Conor McGregor fight.
“You must stay active, and you're elite, and you're 37 years old. You can't take two years off”
Listen from 44:16 · Ultimate Fighting Championship
Paddy Pimblett
Pimblett says regular sparring is necessary to develop timing, contrasting himself with fighters who avoid it.
“I feel like I need to spar to make sure I get my timing down and that I can actually hit people”
Listen from 46:31
Joe Rogan
Rogan argues knees to the head of a grounded opponent should be legal away from the cage.
“knees to the head on the ground, especially when you're not near the cage, is a completely legitimate move”
Listen from 48:32 · Unified Rules of Mixed Martial Arts
Paddy Pimblett
Pimblett supports legalizing knees and soccer kicks to grounded opponents but opposes stomps.
“Knees to the head and soccer kicks, but not stomps. I don't think stomps should be legal because your head's got nowhere to go”
Listen from 49:30 · Unified Rules of Mixed Martial Arts
Paddy Pimblett
Pimblett says a Josh Hokit win would be bad for MMA because he dislikes Hokit's persona.
“I think it's bad for the sport if Josh Hawkins wins”
Listen from 1:20:08 · Ciryl Gane vs. Josh Hokit
Paddy Pimblett
Pimblett describes an ideal scenario of winning and defending the lightweight title, then vacating it for teammate George Staines.
“I end up winning the lightweight belt. I can defend it a few times. George comes through the ranks. I can vacate the belt”
Listen from 1:26:13 · UFC lightweight division
Paddy Pimblett
Pimblett says he would never fight a teammate and views same-gym matchups as wrong.
“People who train in the same gym fighting each other. I think it's wrong, personally”
Listen from 1:28:52
Paddy Pimblett
Pimblett recounts falling into a serious depression while immobilized after ankle surgeries following the Jared Gordon fight.
“Yeah, I got terribly depressed after that one. Like, terribly”
Listen from 1:49:28
Joe Rogan
Rogan proposes an automatic point deduction for a first eye poke and disqualification for a second.
“I think there should be a non-negotiable one point deduction on the second eye poke you're disqualified”
Listen from 1:55:32 · Eye pokes in mixed martial arts
Paddy Pimblett
Pimblett credits Conor McGregor with making MMA mainstream.
“Without him, we wouldn't be as mainstream as we are right now. He changed our sport forever”
Listen from 2:21:29 · Conor McGregor
Joe Rogan
Rogan argues Texas's restrictions on THC products were partly responsible for an electoral loss.
“Texas is ass backwards when it came to weed and it cost them the election”
Listen from 2:24:44
Joe Rogan
Rogan argues Ciryl Gane's basketball background gives him unusual movement for a heavyweight.
“there's something about being good at basketball, and that something is basketball is like constant plyometrics”
Listen from 2:26:00 · Ciryl Gane vs. Josh Hokit
Paddy Pimblett
Pimblett says he would refuse to let his corner stop a fight, preferring to continue until unconscious.
“I'm going to keep going here until every last breath in my body is gone, until I'm unconscious”
Listen from 2:35:30 · Justin Gaethje vs. Paddy Pimblett
Paddy Pimblett
Pimblett argues high takedown counts reflect poor control rather than dominance.
“That means he got up. That means he got up 17 times. That's not a good stat”
Listen from 2:37:25 · Unified Rules of Mixed Martial Arts
Paddy Pimblett
Pimblett credits nutritionist Paul Reid with transforming how his team makes weight.
“Without him, we'd still be in the dark ages when it comes to making weight”
Listen from 2:43:12 · Weight cutting in mixed martial arts
Linked moment · 2:49:58Skip to 2:49:58 using a listen link in the info box.
Joe Rogan
Rogan states that the oblique kick to the knee is going to be made illegal, while Pimblett disagrees with banning it.
“I don't think people know, but it's going to be made illegal”
Listen from 2:49:58 · Unified Rules of Mixed Martial Arts

People

In the conversation

Joe RoganAmerican comedian and host of The Joe Rogan Experience
Paddy PimblettEnglish UFC fighter whose walkout Von described

Discussed

Ilia TopuriaUFC lightweight champion
Justin GaethjeAmerican mixed martial artist and Nurmagomedov's final opponent
Benoît Saint-DenisFrench UFC lightweight submitted by Pimblett
Conor McGregorIrish mixed martial artist and former UFC two-division champion
Khabib NurmagomedovRussian former mixed martial artist from Dagestan who retired as UFC lightweight champion with a 29-0 record
Michael ChandlerAmerican UFC fighter Gaethje previously fought
Jon JonesAmerican mixed martial artist and former UFC champion
Ciryl GaneFrench UFC heavyweight who beat Alex Pereira on the White House card
Josh HokitUFC heavyweight known for trolling promotional antics
Georges St-PierreCanadian former UFC welterweight and middleweight champion
Jared GordonAmerican UFC lightweight who lost a close decision to Pimblett
Tony FergusonAmerican UFC fighter Gaethje defeated for an interim title
Melvin ManhoefDutch kickboxer and MMA fighter known for knockout power
Courtney DauwalterAmerican ultramarathon runner
Paul RimmerPimblett's head coach at Next Generation MMA Liverpool
Carlos PratesBrazilian UFC welterweight contender
Dominick ReyesAmerican UFC light heavyweight who fought Jon Jones
Tom AspinallEnglish UFC heavyweight champion sidelined by an eye injury

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From the publisher

Joe sits down with Paddy Pimblett, a professional mixed martial artist currently competing in the UFC Lightweight division.www.youtube.com/@PaddyTheBaddyUFCwww.thebaddy.com Don’t miss out on all the action this week at DraftKings! Download the DraftKings app today! Sign-up using https://dkng.co/rogan or through my promo code ROGAN. Try Perplexity Computer now: https://pplx.ai/joerogan Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Summary, chapters and key points were generated from the episode transcript on November 12, 2026. Quotes are checked word for word against the transcript.

Categories: Sports