UFC London is finally underway and we already have some fights under the belt. In what was arguably the most entertaining fight on the preliminary card, Jonny Parsons secured a knockout win. However, what was even more interesting, was who Parsons chose to call out after the fight.
Taking on Danny Roberts in the final fight of the preliminary card, there was a lot of expectations from the newcomer. However, Parsons, fresh off his Contender Series win, did well to contend with the veteran. Having soaked up a fair amount of damage, the 31-year-old made sure to dish out some of his own.
SWANGIN AND BANGIN LEADS TO A PARSONS KNOCKOUT #UFCLondon pic.twitter.com/JvVZgTzKJI
— Spinnin Backfist (@SpinninBackfist) July 22, 2023
As such, the fight descended into chaos in the second round. Both fighters chucked their game plan out of the window and decided to settle the matter in the center of the Octagon. Thus, a good old-fashioned slugfest ensued in the last minute of the second round. Both fighters swanged and banged till Roberts hit the mat for a second and final time.
Securing his first win inside the Octagon, there was a lot of energy from Parsons. Not only did he get the finish, but he outstruck Roberts 69-44 and also scored 2 knockdowns in the process. Whilst it was a well-deserved win against an aging veteran, Parsons may have jumped the gun with his post-fight interview.
Jonny Parsons called out Paddy Pimblett
Riding the high of his first-ever UFC win and finish, Parsons didn’t even wait to catch his breath before issuing his callout to Paddy the Baddy. Michael Bisping had only just finished commending Parsons for his performance before the latter began to recite the call-out he likely practiced backstage.
Getting the mic, Parsons said, “First, I want to thank God. Hey Paddy! You wanna slug or not? Cause I’m The Sluggernaut ( that’s his nickname) let’s go!” Further, he continues, “I’ll go down to lightweight and I’ll knock that stupid haircut off your head, let’s go!” Unfortunately for Parsons, the crowd wasn’t feeling the same energy and soon enough an echo of boos could be heard.
Trying his best to change the topic, Michael Bisping tried to ask Jonny his game plan coming into the fight. According to Parsons, his game plan was to fight ‘smart’ and fight ‘sharp’. Although he did neither, Parsons did back himself to rock Danny Roberts once he got his hands on him. As such, despite following only part of his game plan, Parsons was able to get the win.
Whilst a showdown with Paddy Pimblett is likely not on the cards for Jonny just yet, there is still a lot of potential for him to become a fan-favorite fighter. Seeing that most MMA fans enjoy all-out scrappy, slug-fest kind of fights, there are a lot of admirers for Parsons’ style of fighting. Should he continue putting up great performances like this one, maybe he could possibly warrant a showdown with the Baddy in the future.