"You'd rather them feel awkward talking to you than crying at your funeral" - how UFC's latest star Paddy Pimblett overcame depression
Footage has re-emerged of UFC lightweight Paddy Pimblett discussing his bout with depression and how he was able to overcome it.
While he may come across as one of the most confident fighters to ever step foot inside the octagon, Paddy Pimblett is human just like the rest of us. He feels the weight of the world on his shoulders from time to time and, as we all do, has had struggles with depression throughout his life.
Bryce Wilson, a mental training coach, decided to highlight the strength of 'The Baddy' by stringing together a few clips of him talking about his issues.
Paddy Pimblett had to overcome depression before his UFC debut😳 @PaddyTheBaddy https://t.co/wEsr50eAlf
“In that few months I’d sit up and I’d cry for like half an hour, 40 minutes, just thinking right, I’ve ruined everything.”
“You’ve got to talk about your problems because I never did for months, and it ate away at me for months. Then when I started to speak to the people who cared about me and not worrying about what they thought. That’s when everything started to get better.”
“Even if you think they’ll feel awkward talking to you, you’d rather them feeling awkward talking to you than crying at your funeral.”
Paddy Pimblett - more than meets the eye
There are plenty of reasons why some MMA fans may not like Paddy Pimblett too much. However, as an entertainer and a true competitor, there are few better at 155 pounds right now.
Every single time he goes out there to win, he also puts on a show which is one of the main reasons why we all tune in. In equal measure, though, it’s important for those who follow his work to realize that Paddy Pimblett isn’t a robot. He has demons that he has to deal with every now and then. Instead of shying away, he opens up and speaks to those close to him about what can be done to fix it.
In our view, that’s the sign of a true leader - so props to Paddy.