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Liverpool’s Paddy Pimblett has been touted by many as a future UFC megastar. However, ‘The Baddy’ appears to be in no rush to ascend the UFC food chain. Speaking to former UFC heavyweight Brendan Schaub on the Food Truck Diaries, Pimblett has asserted that he isn’t interested in fighting more frequently unless the UFC increases his pay.
Schaub notably suggested that fighters such as UFC bantamweight star 'Sugar' Sean O’Malley and Pimblett represent a change of guard in how MMA fighters approach their careers. ‘Big Brown’ indicated that O’Malley, Pimblett, and a few other famous fighters have successfully monetized their popularity.
Brendan Schaub added that those fighters earn more money in other business pursuits than their UFC bouts. Paddy Pimblett concurred and stated:
“That’s including me. I make more money outside the octagon. And it makes me laugh when people are commenting on my stuff and things saying, ‘He’s not active enough. He doesn’t fight enough. He only; he should be fighting four times a year.’ Why? Why should I fight four times a year? Give me a reason when I’m earning more outside the cage than I am in it.”
Pimblett signed a massive seven-figure deal with Barstool Sports last year and has been an ambassador for the company ever since. ‘The Baddy’ is a former Cage Warriors featherweight champion and is a veteran of 21 professional MMA bouts.
The 27-year-old boasts a loyal fanbase on social media and is one of the UK’s biggest MMA stars today. He signed with the UFC last year and has competed in two fights for the organization thus far, emerging victorious on both occasions.
Watch Paddy Pimblett and Brendan Schaub’s conversation in the video below:
MMA icon Jorge Masvidal doesn’t see Paddy Pimblett being a world champion
During a recent appearance on Logan Paul’s Impaulsive podcast, the UFC’s BMF champion Jorge Masvidal weighed in with his take on Paddy Pimblett. The MMA great opined that Pimblett’s current skillset isn’t enough to win him a UFC world title:
"I think he [Pimblett] is entertaining as f***. I think he's wild. But from the skillset right now I don't see him being a world champion. But that could change, you know, right. But his skillset right now, I don't think it's at the top, where it should be, you know."
Watch the Imapaulsive podcast below:
The consensus is that Paddy ‘The Baddy’ Pimblett could face undefeated lightweight Ottman Azaitar next at the UFC London event on July 23. Azaitar and his manager Ali Abdelaziz have been relentlessly lobbying for a fight against Pimblett. Nevertheless, the UFC is yet to officially announce this matchup.
