"Lightweight is a ridiculously hard division" - Michael Bisping weighs in on whether Paddy Pimblett can become UFC champion
Michael Bisping feels that Paddy Pimblett can become a UFC champion but reckons it will not be an easy ride.
Pimblett's rise to stardom in the UFC has taken no time at all. Just a year on from his debut against Luigi Vendramini at UFC Fight Night: Brunson vs. Till, he is one of the most recognizable faces in the lightweight division.
The English fighter has won all three of his fights in the UFC octagon, finishing each of them within two rounds. He has also won Performance of the Night bonuses for all three bouts, quickly making him a fan favorite.
With stellar performances, a charismatic presence on the microphone, and a championship pedigree from his stint with Cage Warriors, he is touted as championship material by many in the mixed martial arts world.
A fan posed a question regarding Pimblett's title chances to former UFC middleweight Michael Bisping on Twitter:
"Mike do you think paddy the baddy will ever fight for the title in the UFC???"
Bisping responded with optimistic caution, citing the need for further wins for 'The Baddy' to solidify his claim to the title shot. 'The Count' also mentioned the extremely competitive nature of the lightweight division:
"With another few wins I don’t see why not. Lightweight is a ridiculously hard division though."
Check out his tweet below:
With another few wins I don’t see why not. Lightweight is a ridiculously hard division though. twitter.com/calllvm/status…
Michael Bisping is well acquainted with the demands of being a champion in the UFC. He was the first and for a long time the only English champion until Leon Edwards conquered the welterweight crown. For English fans' sake, he will hope Paddy Pimblett can follow in their footsteps.
Paddy Pimblett admits to genuine "eating disorder"
Perhaps the only complaint the MMA fanbase has of Paddy Pimblett is his weight fluctuations in between his fights.
Pimblett has consistently been seen as massively overweight when he is not preparing for a bout. His ringside and social media appearances have portrayed him as an undisciplined fighter who can't keep his weight in check, earning him the parody nickname of 'Paddy the Fatty' as a play on his nickname 'Paddy the Baddy'.
The Liverpudlian hasn't been shy about addressing his issues. He recently spoke on Steve-O's Wild Ride! podcast and admitted:
"I genuinely think I’m a food addict. I think I’ve got a bit of an eating disorder because of MMA. The weight cuts, dieting, I genuinely think I have a bit of an eating disorder. People when they go eat with me, they are visibly shocked at how much I can eat."
However, to Paddy Pimblett's credit, the inconsistency outside the octagon has not resulted in him missing weight.
Check out the full podcast episode on YouTube: