Paddy Pimblett’s teenage message to Dana White proved prophetic

Back in 2021, Paddy Pimblett made his UFC debut against Luigi Vendramini, and it wasn’t long before fans outside the UK took notice of both his fighting skills and his larger-than-life personality.

But British MMA fans already knew about the skill and pizzazz of ‘The Baddy’ from his career on the regional scene, especially in Cage Warriors.

Pimblett is now a lightweight but started his career as a bantamweight during his amateur days. He has never hidden the fact that he walks around at well above lightweight limit between fights.

After capturing an amateur bantamweight title at 16 years old back in 2011, Pimblett had already set his sights on where he wanted to go.

“Hi Dana, I’m 16 years old 5-0 NSAC amateur and a bantamweight champ in the UK, guess we’ll be doing business in the future,” Pimblett tweeted to the UFC boss Dana White in 2011.

The early prediction turned out to be spot on. Not only is he working with White now, but he’s also become one of the more recognisable figures in the sport, chosen to headline a major card at just 29 years old.

Speaking to UFC on TNT Sports about that tweet now over a decade later, Pimblett reflected:

Paddy Pimblett’s post-fight weight gain isn’t slowing him down

With his title shot just around the corner, Paddy Pimblett still has some weight to drop – not surprising given that he often balloons to more than 50lbs above his weigh-in limit between camps.

Even so, over a career spanning 14 years, the 31-year-old has never missed weight and always shows up in top condition.