Paddy Pimblett: Darwin Nunez ‘proved me right’ in Erling Haaland debate

UFC star Pimblett is a Liverpool FC fan and predicted that his team’s new forward will outscore Man City’s Erling Haaland this season

Paddy Pimblett submitted Jordan Leavitt in the second round (Getty Images)

Paddy Pimblett has said Darwin Nunez has ‘vindicated’ the UFC star’s prediction that the Liverpool forward will score more goals than Manchester City’s Erling Haaland this season.

Liverpudlian lightweight Pimblett is a Liverpool fan and said recently that his side’s newest addition will outscore Man City’s marquee summer signing Haaland, leading to ridicule of the UFC fighter from some fans.

Nunez found the net and won a penalty in Liverpool’s 2-1 Community Shield victory over Man City on Saturday, in a game in which Haaland failed to score and even missed a clear chance.

“[Nunez] vindicated me the next night, didn’t he?” Pimblett said on Tuesday. “I done that interview, and I was getting proper abuse on the internet: ‘Why are you even asking him about football?’ and all that.

“And then he scored four the next day against [RB] Leipzig, in like half an hour.

Darwin Nunez celebrates Liverpool’s Community Shield victory (The FA via Getty Images)

“Then obviously Haaland missed a sitter on Saturday, and Nunez scored, just proving me right. He’s gonna continue to prove me right all season, lad, I know he is.”

Pimblett has said one of his goals in the UFC is to headline at Liverpool’s Anfield ground.

Since signing with the UFC last year, Pimblett has gone 3-0 with three stoppage wins. After knocking out Luigi Vendramini in the first round last September, the 27-year-old submitted Rodrigo Vargas in Round 1 and Jordan Leavitt in Round 2 this year – at the March and July editions of UFC London.