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Paddy Pimblett’s long-time manager takes positives from his first UFC loss to Justin Gaethje

Originally posted on Bloody Elbow | By Kyle Dimond | Last updated Feb 17, 2026 4:25 PM ET

Paddy Pimblett’s long-time manager believes he earned a lot of respect at UFC 324.

Justin Gaethje has made some critical comments about Paddy Pimblett following their interim title fight that headlined the first UFC event of the year.

The two men put on an early contender for the best fight of 2026 when going five rounds at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

While some have argued that the fight showed that Pimblett isn’t a championship-level calibre fighter right now, others took some positives from his first loss inside the Octagon.

‘The Baddy’ may not have been successful but he certainly earned a lot of people’s respect with his display of heart in the biggest night of his career to date.

Graham Boylan says Paddy Pimblett’s going to be around for a long time after gaining respect at UFC 324

As his long-time manager and former promoter, Graham Boylan has been a key figure in the career of Paddy Pimblett.

The Cage Warriors president recently spoke about the aftermath of UFC 324 when asked by Bloody Elbow about the lightweight star’s reaction to his first loss inside the Octagon.

Pimblett wore some damage as a result of his clash with Justin Gaethje, that saw him receive praise for going the distance despite some of the shots that he took from his opponent.

‘The Baddy’ didn’t take being able to show people how tough he was as a positive when speaking immediately after the fight because he already knew what he was capable of.

While fighters like Dan Hooker don’t expect Pimblett to stick around at the top of the division for long, Boylan has a different view on his career.

He’s also not surprised to see that the interim title challenger isn’t looking to be credited for a defeat.

“That’s every fighter though. Every fighter’s going to think that way,” he said. “Paddy got more respect in that fight than he ever did in his career and finally people are starting to realize Paddy’s legit and he’s going to be around for a long time. Paddy’s young. He’s got plenty of time. So, we’re looking forward to see where he goes next and what happens next.”

Graham Boylan also sees a positive in Paddy Pimblett’s loss from Cage Warriors’ view

Cage Warriors have helped to produce some of the biggest names in the history of MMA.

They’re set to host their 200th event this Saturday night in Dublin, which features several fighters that could be on the cusp of receiving calls from the UFC.

Paddy Pimblett is just the latest in a list of fighters who have been on the promotion’s roster before going on to challenge for the top prize in the sport.

Cage Warriors president Graham Boylan is able to take a positive from Paddy Pimblett’s outing in January because of what it says about the promotion, even in defeat.

“It warms our hearts because it shows what we’re doing is working,” he told Bloody Elbow. “It shows that the platform we’re giving these guys is working to get them to these situations and when they get there, they’re tested. They’re tried, proven, and tested. They belong there. For us, it’s an amazing thing to be a small part of that journey.”

This article first appeared on Bloody Elbow and was syndicated with permission.

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