Issue 216

April 2025

The punch was still cocked, but the future had already arrived. Paddy Pimblett perched atop Michael Chandler, fist raised, eyes burning, and a mess of elbows behind him that had turned Chandler’s face into such a mess that he ran off before Buffer could raise Paddy’s hand. This wasn’t hype. This was a hard reset of the pecking order. UFC 314 was touted as the sink-or-swim moment for ‘The Baddy.’  Instead, it turned into a coronation of sorts that pretty much everyone wanted to see happen. After slicing Chandler open with an impeccably timed knee at the start of Round 3, Pimblett mounted him to secure a bonus check he deserved. The 12-to-6 elbow flurry that followed forced the ref to step in, but not before this snapshot. It’s the one that perfectly captured the moment fandom morphed into title relevance. Chandler’s grit was never in question. He was always in the fight, but it was no match for the liver shots, the IQ, or the momentum. This is the moment Pimblett is poised to land a statement that the division can run, but it can’t hide from one of the sport's most beloved stars. 

April 12, 2025

UFC 314, Kaseya Center, Miami, FL