Paddy Pimblett: Just The Beginning

Paddy Pimblett: Just The Beginning 

Paddy Pimblett has long been the shining light of Cage Warriors, his grand entrance to the UFC appeared just a mere formality, when, not if, he would reach the promised land.

Things haven’t quite gone as planned, although UFC offers have previously been turned down. A couple of defeats and now a hand injury have stopped Pimblett’s immediate rise in the sport.

Pimblett struggled to make featherweight, the pain of the weight cut clearly played at least some part in Pimblett losing his Cage Warriors featherweight title at CW82 in 2017 against Nad Narimani in his home city of Liverpool.

A wise decision to move up to lightweight followed, it breathed new energy into his still embryonic MMA career.

The new chapter started well in February last year, another highlight submission at CW90, the signature celebration with his passionate vocal fans and Pimblett set his sights on emulating Conor McGregor in being a two-weight Cage Warriors champion.

But an injury-hit build-up hampered his preparations for his lightweight title bid at CW96 against Soren Bak. But he came so close to squeezing the fight out of Bak. An extremely deep rear-naked choke in the 1st round very nearly saw him crowned a double champ. But the squeeze gradually eased, Bak survived and eventually took the unanimous decision over 5 rounds.

Pimblett seems to heave learned much from his loss to Bak:

“I won’t be rushing back in the cage again this time. I got the wires out my hand 6 weeks before the Bak fight and only started punching with my right hand without a splint on two weeks out I just couldn’t pull out as it was a title shot in my hometown and I still nearly choked his ass out with one arm.”

I saw one headline ‘the downfall of Paddy Pimblett’ a way too harsh summary of what we have so far seen, and clearly not understanding the nature of the sport or where Pimblett is in his career, the loss to Bak was in many ways a blessing.

Pimblett is still only 24, with years ahead of him in the sport. A more than respectable record of 14-3 and a former Cage Warriors champion is hardly one of failure, and with his peak years still ahead, there is still plenty more to come.

Pimblett knows at some point he must test his skills in the UFC, but you know it will be when he feels he is ready, on his terms. The UFC rarely give their talent time to grow, they need to hit the ground running, I doubt Pimblett will be happy just being there, his ambitions reach further than that.

“My aims are still the same and always will be CW double weight champ and at least one weight champ in the UFC if not two, anyone with small dreams or aims are not cut out for this.” 

For now, a twice operated hand needs to fully heal, but at some point in 2019, Pimblett will return, another CW title run will be the immediate aim, then almost certainly the UFC talk will start again. Pimblett has time, we should give it him.

“The fight with Bak made me think about my career and not just the next fight, like I always have done. So this time I’ll rehab it properly and wait until it’s 100% before I fight again and you will see a fully fit, best version of the Baddy you’ve ever seen.”