NFL
By: Julio Olmo
As one of the UFC’s rising stars, Paddy ‘The Baddy’ Pimblett is receiving more pre-fight hype and attention than ever before.
One of the UK’s highest-rated fighters alongside welterweight champion Leon Edwards and heavyweight hopeful Tom Aspinall, the Liverpudlian lightweight has attracted attention for his recent wins, outspoken press conferences, and well-documented weight gain between fights.
Paddy will be fighting Jared Gordon at the upcoming UFC 282 event on 10 December.
The card also features a light heavyweight title fight between Jiří Procházka and Glover Teixeira, as well as a bout between fellow Liverpudlian Darren Till and Dricus du Plessis.
Ahead of the fight, ‘The Baddy’ shared a photo from 11 years ago, taken with famed UFC ring announcer Bruce Buffer.
The pair met at UFC 138 in Birmingham in 2011, when Paddy was just 16 years old. In the caption, Paddy shared what he had told the veteran announcer.
Started from the bottom now we're here 😅
Paddy 'The Baddy' Pimblett x Bruce Buffer… you love to see it 🙌
📸: Paddy Pimblett pic.twitter.com/TwxgRrBa8h
— UFC on TNT Sports (@ufcontnt) November 6, 2022
“11 years ago this week I met @brucebufferufc in Birmingham after the ufc”, the post reads. “I told him in years to come you’ll be announcing my name in Vegas…” he says.
“In 5 weeks he will at UFC 282 when I blow the roof off the gaff once again!”, he adds, clearly anticipating fireworks in his next fight.
Over the course of the last twelve months, we’ve seen the star power of Paddy Pimblett shoot through the roof. The 27-year-old has captured the imagination of the masses and even though he isn’t exactly everyone’s cup of tea, the Scouse sensation serves as a genuine breath of fresh air for the sport of mixed martial arts.
It helps, then, that he continues to pick up notable wins, with his latest success coming against Jordan Leavitt at UFC London.
The immediate aftermath of the triumph featured Paddy celebrating alongside his close friend Molly McCann and from the perspective of the fanbase, it was quickly becoming clear that the UFC may have lightning in a bottle type of situation with ‘The Baddy’.
Many of us were wondering when he was going to return and if it was going to be before the end of the year, and as per the man himself, he did not have a date in mind – but he didn’t react well to the idea of Madison Square Garden in November for UFC 281.
“Come on lad, the tax man just taking all my dough? That’s not happening, lad. The tax man isn’t getting my money in New York [UFC 281].”
“Yeah Vegas, December lad.”
Pimblett was asked about how it feels to have such a surge of popularity behind him.
