Is Paddy Pimblett Irish?
Paddy Pimblett isn't Irish. The 26-year-old has often drawn comparisons with Conor McGregor thanks to their similar career graph, leading many to assume he hails from the same country as 'The Notorious'.
Pimblett, however, is a proud citizen of Liverpool, England. He was born on March 1, 1995. Pimblett, of course, is an Englishman, but he doesn't identify himself as one. He prefers to go by 'Scouser', a term used to address people from Liverpool.
Pimblett's interest in Mixed Martial Arts can be traced back to 2009 when he saw Vitor Belfort and Rich Franklin compete in the main event of UFC 103. A week later, he joined the Next Generation gym in Liverpool.
In just over three years, Pimblett was ready to explore the world of MMA. He made his debut against Nathan Thompson in 2012, and defeated his countryman via TKO in the first round.
The following year, Pimblett joined Cage Warriors, where he had a remarkable eight-year stint. 'The Baddy' won the featherweight title in 2016 and defended his belt on one occasion before being dethroned by Nad Narimani at Cage Warriors 82.
After his stunning win over Davide Martinez in March this year, Pimblett was signed to the UFC.
Paddy Pimblett makes a successful UFC debut
Paddy Pimblett finally stepped foot inside the octagon at UFC Vegas 36. Competing in a lightweight bout against Luigi Vendramini, the 26-year-old dispatched the Brazilian in the first round.
Vendramini had Pimblett hurt early on, but the latter was able to survive the scare. After finding his groove, Pimblett stung his opponent with brutal combinations that forced the referee to halt the contest.
During the post-fight press conference, Pimblett made it clear that he is one of the fighters to keep an eye on from the current UFC roster.
"It was never going to go wrong. This is my destiny. I'm here. I'm the new kid on the block. Told you the other day that I'll get a first-round finish. People think I'm a grappler and I've just shut everyone up. I can grapple, strike and wrestle. I've got the personality and looks. The new king is here, lad!" Said Paddy Pimblett.
Watch Paddy Pimblett's interview below: