Chael Sonnen dismisses Paddy Pimblett – Conor McGregor comparisons: “How did this ever get going?”

Chael Sonnen is questioning how the Paddy Pimblett – Conor McGregor comparisons came about.

It was Paddy Pimblett (18-3 MMA) who most recently secured a home town win in front of a boisterous crowd at UFC London against Rodrigo Vargas (12-5 MMA). The Liverpool fighter was the star of the show, who attracted a huge amount of interest ahead of the sold-out O2 Arena event in London.

Following the victory, many made comparisons between ‘The Baddy’ and ‘The Notorious’, comparisons that Chael Sonnen is questioning. In a recent video uploaded to his YouTube channel, Sonnen had this to say:

“Where is that coming from? How did this ever get going? It seems to be as though anybody who’s interesting to listen to and somewhat clever, that also brings an accent to the table, instantly gets compared to Conor McGregor. Paddy’s not the first. There’s been a pretty good handful of people from that side of the world that are good with rhetorical skills, that instantly get compared that they’re gonna be the next Conor McGregor. It seems like a big claim and I’m not seeing how it’s getting made.”

Continuing Sonnen praised McGregor saying:

“Do you know what you would have to do to be the next Conor McGregor? If Conor McGregor was to never win again, he will go down as one of the greatest to have ever done it. Conor McGregor switched sports to take on the greatest ever in boxing… It has never been done by any other athlete because it can’t be done. I think we do forget at times just how goddamn good Conor McGregor was.”

“Let’s not forget, Conor’s marketing approach from jump street was, ‘Anyone, anywhere, anytime.’ Conor was then called on that. That is an attitude and that is a mindset, make no mistake. There are not many people like that, but that is also the opposite mindset and attitude Paddy has.”

Concluding, Chael Sonnen had this to say:

“I am not putting Paddy down here. I am just pointing out the obvious so that we all don’t get lost. Paddy said, ‘I will not fight the best guys. Not anyone, anytime, anywhere. None of those things. Don’t bring me anybody in the top 15. Don’t ever bring me an opponent that’s got a ranking while I’m under the current contract…’ I’m not putting Paddy down… I’m still searching for anything that has to do with Paddy and Conor intersecting, other than they’re both interesting guys who bring an accent, who are pretty good on a microphone.”

It seems as though Sonnen, believing that Paddy Pimblett and Conor McGregor are two interesting guys, both with good accents, are far from sharing the same fighting strategies or mindsets.

Are you in agreement with Chael Sonnen that comparisons between the two fighters are misguided?