The UFC lightweight contender from Huyton, United Kingdom, Paddy Pimblett, has made his fair share of enemies recently. Such a situation was unforeseen given the hype around the English fighter, yet here we are.
Pimblett is one of many rising stars in the UFC. He’s made his notoriety off sensational trash-talk, crowd-stealing octagon interviews and eye-catching celebrations. The hype around Pimblett is primarily due to his personality and charisma.
Hype-Train on Rough Tracks
Before his previous fight against Jared “Flash” Gordon, Pimblett started gaining controversy. Following a submission win against Jordan Leavitt, Paddy gained tons of weight and ballooned up to close to 200 pounds. That’s significantly heavier than his fighting weight. He was open about his diet, claiming he ate abhorrent amounts of food including cheeseburgers and ice cream following his bout against Leavitt.
There’s celebrating a big win and successful weight cut with a rewarding cheat meal… and then there’s what Paddy Pimblett does. His severe weight gain ignited conversations about eating disorders among UFC athletes, and prompted the topic of extreme weight cuts poorly influencing fighter’s eating habits. These are legitimate arguments, but Pimblett certainly did not desire to be the poster child for them.
More controversy came in the result of Pimblett’s UFC 282 fight against Jared Gordon last December. Though Gordon appeared to have won the fight, the judges gave Pimblett the decision. Despite the close call, Pimblett proceeded to act as his normal self after the fight. UFC commentator Joe Rogan asked him if he thought the fight was close (as it clearly was), and Pimblett claimed it was not. He then ranted on about how impressive of a fighter he is despite the underwhelming performance.
These comments have garnered quite a bit of criticism from fans, commentators and analysts alike. Though he gained a lot of positive attention during his rise, such attention has turned to bitter judgment. Even UFC president Dana White has called out Pimblett for his absurd weight-gain in between fights. Needless to say, Paddy “The Baddy” is not well-liked in today’s UFC.
It’s also important to note the controversy surrounding the decision. Some are accusing the judges of hopping aboard the hype train themselves and scoring Pimblett’s fight against Gordon in his favor in order to further the promotion. While it may be a reach to assume the judges are now rigging UFC fights, it’s understandable considering the potential robbery of that bout’s decision.
Back On Track
Pimblett furthered the criticism this week. While Gordon is continuing to refer to the fight as a robbery, he’s also calling for an immediate rematch in order to finally settle the score. Pimblett responded by calling his opponent a “bitter little girl.” Such a comment is sure to draw further backlash.
So, what’s next for Paddy Pimblett. Well, Gordon may indeed be getting that rematch he so desperately wants. When that fight does come around, all eyes will be on the octagon to see if Pimblett is truly the fighter he believes he is.
