Denis Frimpong made a significant return to fighting on Saturday night, bouncing back from the widely circulated gym sparring session he had with Paddy Pimblett earlier this year.
Footage of `The Baddy` participating in the gym altercation garnered widespread attention online.
Paddy Pimblett and MMA prospect Denis Frimpong (with a 6-2 record at the time) had exchanged words online before deciding to resolve their dispute face-to-face in the gym.
During the session, the UFC lightweight contender applied his signature rear-naked choke submission. The incident drew some controversy when Pimblett appeared slow to release the hold, despite Frimpong`s clear and repeated taps.
Denis Frimpong Silences Critics with Impressive KO
The encounter with Pimblett thrust Frimpong into the public eye for the first time.
The 30-year-old recently mentioned to talkSPORT that the viral gym footage resulted in significantly more negativity than support.
However, he effectively quieted his detractors with a sensational performance and win at OKTAGON 71.
Frimpong demonstrated resilience, overcoming moments of difficulty in his bout against Arijan Topallaj (holding a 7-1-1 record) before securing a victory by strikes in the third and final round. The fight took place at BMW Park in Munich, Germany.
What`s Next for Paddy Pimblett?
Pimblett`s viral sparring session with Frimpong essentially served as preparation for what would become the biggest fight of his professional MMA career.
In April, the English fighter delivered a dominant showing against Michael Chandler, culminating in a third-round stoppage victory at UFC 314.
Following this win, Pimblett has set his sights on a potential title eliminator bout against former interim lightweight champion Justin Gaethje.
Speaking about his plans, he told UFC on TNT Sports, “I know for a fact that if I beat (Justin) Gaethje, I`m next in line.”
“It could be (next for me), yeah. It`s just whether he says yes or not, isn`t it? He`d be fighting down the rankings again,” Pimblett added.
Regarding the timing and location, he stated, “(I`d like to fight him) in Abu Dhabi in October, that Pay-per-view, that`s when I want to fight, that`s when I`ll be gearing towards, and after what I did to Chandler, I think I`d finish Justin Gaethje.”
