MJF’s feud with rising MMA star Pimblett could continue this weekend at UFC 282

A couple weeks back, some remarks AEW World champion Maxwell Jacob Friedman about the relative dangerousness of pro wrestling and mixed martial arts drew the ire of UFC Lightweight Paddy Pimblett.

The two had a social media back-and-forth, and a challenge was made for an in-person meeting when AEW travels to England — Pimblett’s home country — next year. But even then, MJF was saying he didn’t want to wait. And with “Paddy the Baddy” fighting on tomorrow’s UFC 282 card, it looks like the next steps in this almost-certainly-an-angle will take place in Las Vegas this weekend.

ESPN’s Marc Raimondi reported this afternoon (Dec. 9) that Friedman will be at T-Mobile Arena for Pimblett’s bout with Jared Gordon. Not long after, the champ tweeted this...

Pimblett is a big favorite against Gordon, as UFC is working to build him into their next Ronda Rousey/Conor McGregor-level star (Paddy’s been working straight out of the McGregor playbook this week, continuing his feud with Ilia Topuria at the UFC 282 press conference even though they aren’t fighting each other tomorrow night, hurling insults and teasing a physical confrontation both men knew security wouldn’t allow to happen). Friedman defends his Big Burberry Belt for the first time next Wednesday against Ricky Starks on the “Winter is Coming” edition of Dynamite.

Will any of that keep them from yelling at each other Saturday night? Are Pimblett and MJF looking past their upcoming opponents? And will this rivalry do much for either man, or AEW?