Paddy Pimblett silenced his doubters with a dominant victory over King Green at UFC 304 this weekend and after the fight did something he's not done since joining the company.
The 29-year-old was on the main card at the latest UFC event, which was held at the Co-op Live Arena in Manchester in the early hours of Sunday morning.
The 'Baddy' produced a remarkable display to beat King via submission in the first round and chalk up the sixth win of his career in the UFC.
He put King to sleep with a triangle choke, which led to the referee calling time on the contest three minutes and 22 seconds into the first round.
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It means Pimblett's MMA record - which includes his time in other combat sports franchises, such as Cage Warriors - now stands at 22 wins out of 25 matches, six of each by knockout or decision, and 10 by submission.
He has only three losses to his name, one of which was by submission and two were by decision.
Speaking in the octagon after his victory, Pimblett dedicated the win to a young fan called Chad Jones, who tragically passed away aged just seven following a two-and-a-half-year battle with cancer.
Pimblett said: "I just want to dedicate this fight to little Chaddy the Baddy, seven years of age, lost his life to cancer, seven years old.
"He called himself Chaddy the Baddy because he's a baddy fan, his name was Chad Jones, little man that's for you."
Reacting to his victory over Green, he said: "Statement made. I knew it. I'm first to submit Bobby in the UFC. That's saying something, that's a statement to all you haters out there saying I'd never get a ranking.
"This is how special it is, make some noise, come on. I've said it before and I'll say again, the King of the North."
In his post-fight interview, Pimblett also did something for the first time in his UFC career by calling out an opponent for his next fight.
Pimblett has set his sights on Renato Moicano, who will in September fight Benoit Saint Denis, and the Liverpudlian is hoping to take on the Brazilian either later this year or in 2025.
He said: "Well now I've got a ranking next to my name so suck this.
"I have a name everyone wants me to fight Renato Moicano, hopefully he gets through BSD and we'll see if we can settle it before the end of the year or in the new year."
Topics: UFC, MMA, Paddy Pimblett
John McDougall