UFC stands by Paddy Pimblett after he laments receiving backlash for speaking out on mental health: "Keep being you"

Despite being quite a zany personality in and out of the octagon, UFC rising star Paddy Pimblett is an endearingly sentimental man. The charismatic Scouser has been outspoken about his advocacy for men's mental health and it's been making a difference.

'The Baddy' has been opening up about his emotional vulnerabilities with the hopes of inspiring other people to speak up and seek help. This is one of the things that made Pimblett connect with fans unlike any other. In a recent Instagram post by the surging lightweight, he pointed out a recent act of online bullying he suffered.

A fan said this after Sky Sports posted about Pimblett opening up about his mental health issues ahead of his bout with Bobby Green this weekend:

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"Can't stand the scruffy Scouse rat [Pimblett]. Hope he tops himself. Vermin"

Pimblett took a screenshot of the horrible comment and posted it on Instagram, with the caption:

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"No wonder men don’t speak up. I put my feelings out there and tell men it’s okay to talk. I just get told to kill myself and have pictures of scousers dying sent in the reply’s. We need to change this mindset"

The UFC stands behind Pimblett, posting this comment on the post:

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"We’re proud of you for speaking up. Keep being you, Paddy ❤️"

The UFC's comment on Pimblett's quote. [Image courtesy: @theufcbaddy on Instagram]

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Watch Paddy Pimblett's emotional post-fight speech about losing his friend to suicide

Arguably the moment Paddy Pimblett broke through the mainstream consciousness was when he opened his heart to the fans about losing his friend to suicide back in 2022. In front of a raucous crowd, after defeating Jordan Leavitt via submission, the often jovial jokester shifted his tone to an emotional one. He talked about losing a friend just days before the fight.

Pimblett said:

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"I woke up on Friday morning, 4 am, to a message that one of my friends from back home had killed himself. This was five hours before my weigh-in. So Ricky, lad, that's for you."

Holding back his tears, Pimblett continued:

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"There's a stigma in this world that men can't talk. Listen, if you're a man and you've got weight on your shoulders, and you think the only way to solve it is by killing yourself, please speak to someone. Speak to anyone. I know I'd rather [have] me mates cry on my shoulder than go to his funeral next week. So please, let's get rid of this stigma, and men start talking."

Check out Paddy Pimblet 's full speech below:

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