Theo Sfikas
Beginning his career at the age of 17, Pimblett continues to compete in the Lightweight division.
Professional athletes are almost always tasked with grueling training routines and diets to keep in shape and ready to compete. For almost all athletes, these routines do not just disappear in between games or in the offseason. Instead, they typically become more intense to improve an athlete’s physical capabilities and enhance their subsequent performance. When it comes to rigorous offseason training, UFC star and former Cage Warriors Featherweight Champion, Paddy “The Baddy” Pimblett participates in little to none of it.
Pimblett, a 28-year-old mixed martial artist, displays the opposite of physical discipline in the offseason. In between fights, he is known to consistently gain a drastic amount of weight from both having an unhealthy diet and a lack of training. In his own words, Pimblett would rather be “fat and happy than ripped and miserable 24/7.” As close as one month before a fight, Pimblett takes on an intense training schedule and diet to lose all the weight that he previously gained.
Despite his confidence, however, Pimblett has contradicted his own words by admitting he wants to “not look too fat.” Perhaps he does not truly enjoy being fat or, more likely, does not enjoy looking fat. The criticism Pimblett recieves is built on the belief that he is not dedicated nor disciplined enough to become a truly great fighter. Pimblett has openly stated that his goal — and what he believes the goal of others should be — is to simply enjoy life. While he does not enjoy “looking fat,” he simply “enjoys being fat.” He enjoys the carefree, happier lifestyle it brings him. As for his critics, Pimblett’s success in the octagon and his rise in popularity among fans speaks for itself. Up to this point, his offseason routines have not obstructed him from becoming the well-known fighter he is today, but we have yet to see whether or not they will stop him from reaching his full potential.