The UFC has always been home to some of the biggest stars in the MMA realm. Over the years, names like Daniel Cormier, Conor McGregor, and Khabib Nurmagomedov have been ruling fans’ hearts. However, with all of them now either retired or approaching their twilight, the sport needs a new name. Well, glancing at the UFC roster, it might seem that the likes of Ilia Topuria or Islam Makhachev will be taking the mantle. But UFC veteran Chael Sonnen has some other ideas.
In a recent video, Sonnen gave his two cents on who might be the UFC’s next big star. Surprisingly, despite acknowledging the greatness of Topuria, Makhachev, and Alex Pereira, Sonnen thinks Paddy Pimblett is the one. He stated that a star is made when he is able to engage the audience significantly. Until now, Pimblett has been doing this successfully.
“You wanna talk about who’s the next big star—is it Ilia, Islam, Pereira? To have audience interaction is a nearly impossible thing to do. That is something that Michael Jackson could do. That is something that The Rock could do. When Paddy is doing his thing, the audience is singing his god-awful song out loud,” said Sonnen.
Chael Sonnen picks Paddy Pimblett over Ilia Topuria, Islam Makhachev, and Alex Pereira as the UFC’s next big star. 💫🇬🇧
— Red Corner MMA (@RedCorner_MMA) May 25, 2025
"You wanna talk about who's the next big star—is it Ilia, Islam, Pereira? To have audience interaction is a nearly impossible thing to do. That is something… pic.twitter.com/LUix8rWPJ4
Sonnen further mentioned that Pimblett already had fans back in London. However, his charisma is making him gain fans in Florida. And Sonnen is not the only one praising Pimblett. Recently, Joe Rogan, too, was full of admiration for ‘The Baddy.’
Joe Rogan Calls Paddy Pimblett An ‘Assassin’
Joe Rogan seems to be quite impressed by what he has seen of Paddy Pimblett. In a recent statement, the UFC color commentator pointed out that Pimblett is a dangerous lightweight fighter. Although his trash-talking and unique antics steal the show, the Brit’s fighting skills are equally dangerous. Rogan also mentioned how Pimblett is quite a big lightweight athlete.
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“Paddy is a big lightweight. I know he gets really fat in between fights. He’s a lot bigger than people think. I always say he tricks people by dancing and having silly hair. He’s like one of those bugs that pretends it’s a stick and you get close and it jacks you,” said Rogan.
Joe Rogan Exposes Paddy Pimblett’s Shocking Advantage: ‘He Tricks People… Then Jacks You!’ 👀🔥
— Red Corner MMA (@RedCorner_MMA) May 7, 2025
"Paddy is a big lightweight. I know he gets really fat in between fights. He's a lot bigger than people think. I always say he tricks people by dancing and having silly hair. He's… pic.twitter.com/JP7oMeKzHy
Thus, with things looking quite promising for Paddy Pimblett, it remains to be seen how things pan out for him in the future.
