Paddy “The Baddy” Pimblett was born January 3, 1995 in Liverpool, England. The 26 year-old, is a former Cage Warriors Featherweight Champion, former Full Contact Contender Featherweight Champion, and is one of the UFC’s most exciting new signings for 2021.
“The Baddy” completed a flawless 9-0 amateur MMA record and currently sits at 16-3 as a professional. In the global, Best MMA Lightweight Fighter rankings, he’s currently no.139 and no.3 among 215 active UK/Ireland Pro Lightweights.
Training out of Next Generation MMA in Liverpool, he holds a black belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and has developed a well-rounded striking game to accompany his lethal grappling expertise.
Pimblett’s martial arts journey began after watching Diego Sanchez vs Clay Guida on The Ultimate Fighter 9 Finale in June, 2009. Shortly after, he would watch Vitor Belfort vs Rich Franklin at UFC 103 in September, 2009 and immediately go for a run at 6am following the card ending. At age 15, he joined Next Generation MMA and never looked back.
After capturing the Cage Warriors Featherweight belt in 2016, Paddy was offered a move to the UFC aged just 21. However, he declined, as he wanted to garner more experience before taking the plunge. He remained supremely confident that the big leagues would come knocking further down the line…and they did.
In March, 2021 Pimblett was finally signed to the UFC after defeating Davide Martinez at Cage Warriors 122. After a tumultuous few years, plagued with injuries and setbacks, “The Baddy” is now on the world stage.
It may mean trading his iconic orange Sakuraba shorts for new Venum kit, but the blonde curls and killer submissions are all set to debut in the UFC this year.
So, without further ado, let’s get into Paddy “The Baddy” Pimblett’s Top 5 MMA Finishes! (in descending order)
5. Vs. Conrad Hayes – Cage Warriors 68 (May 3, 2014)
Paddy came into this bantamweight bout at the Echo Arena in his hometown Liverpool with a 5-1 record. It would mark his final fight at bantamweight before moving up to featherweight.
Round 1 began with Paddy landing an early head kick but getting clinched against the cage. With Hayes attempting a single leg takedown, Pimblett secured a Kimura trap, reversed the position and landed in his opponent’s guard.
Hayes attacked with an omoplata but Paddy stacked him, initiating a scramble. After a battle for the back, they stood and Hayes reversed the position for a high crotch single leg attempt.
However, gripping Hayes’ left arm from around his back – Dagestani- handcuff style – Pimblett launched into a flying triangle choke.
Hayes slammed him to the canvas but couldn’t escape Paddy’s clutches. Hooking underneath the left leg of his opponent, “The Baddy” changed the angle and pulled Hayes’ head down to finish the choke.
When Conrad still hung on, Paddy snatched the right arm and finished with a triangle armbar at 3 minutes, 17 seconds of round 1.
In his post-fight interview, when asked if flying triangles get drilled at Next Gen, Paddy responded: “If it’s there, I’ll take it.”
4. Vs. Kevin Petshi – FCC 12 (June 20, 2015)
This fight was Pimblett’s Full Contact Contender (FCC) debut for the vacant FCC featherweight title against an undefeated 7-0 contender in Kevin Petshi.
Round 1 began with kicks being exchanged before Petshi shot a takedown, landing in a brief arm-in guillotine. A scramble ensued with Paddy throwing up a triangle that Petshi would posture out of to return the fight to the feet.
Petshi landed a hard left hook followed by a takedown, only to enter a series of submission attempts with a kimura into a triangle, followed by an omoplata.
They returned to standing but Paddy pursued his opponent across the cage, narrowly missing a head kick. Ducking under a spinning backfist, Paddy attempted a takedown of his own but found himself clinched against the fence about to be taken down.
He would pull guard and defend himself well, not allowing Petshi to posture up for ground and pound.
Round 2 saw Paddy get dropped by a big straight right but recover on the ground with Petshi dropping into top half guard. Pimblett chain wrestled onto a single leg and landed a trip to get top position and pass Petshi’s guard.
Now on the back, Paddy locked up a body triangle and stripped his opponent’s grip to get his choking arm under the chin. From here, he quickly wrapped the neck in a rear naked choke and got the tap at 1 minute, 56 seconds of round 2.
“The Baddy” would go on to defend his FCC belt against Miguel Haro at FCC 13 three months later before returning to Cage Warriors.
3. Vs. Alexis Savvidis – Cage Warriors 90 (Feb. 24, 2018)
Paddy’s opponent in this lightweight bout came in at 16-7-1 with 8 of his victories being submissions. After 10 months without fighting, this would be a real test of Paddy’s grappling abilities.
Round 1 laid the foundations for the entire fight right from the start. Paddy countered a leg kick by chaining a single leg takedown into a trip, only to land in an arm-in guillotine.
Savvidis would execute an elevator sweep to gain top position but land in a heel hook followed by a toe hold. A flurry of heel hooks and counter heel hooks later, Paddy would come up to top position still in the ashi garami leg entanglement.
Savvidis launched one more submission attempt – a tight armbar from the bottom – but Paddy took his time, postured out, and survived to see the second round.
Round 2 began with Savvidis landing two huge overhand rights before clinching against the cage. Like clockwork, Pimblett launched his coveted flying triangle and they fell to the floor.
Savvidis stacked Paddy, starting to break the triangle choke squeeze, but “The Baddy” had already snatched an armbar to get the tap at just 35 seconds of round 2.
The third flying triangle on Paddy’s resume was ranked the 17th ‘Best MMA Submission of the Year, 2018’ on Tapology.
He would ask for a shot at the lightweight belt against Danish fighter, Søren Bak, which he was granted 7 months later at Cage Warriors 96.
2. Vs. Decky Dalton – Cage Warriors 113 (March 20, 2020)
Coming into this lightweight bout, Pimblett hadn’t fought for 18 months due to a recurring hand injury and multiple cancelled fights with Donovan Desmae, Joe Giannetti, and Davide Martinez.
Decky Dalton had defeated his last three opponents via submission, making for another dangerous opponent on the ground.
Round 1 began with a textbook kickboxing display from Pimblett – he checked multiple leg kicks and managed range expertly.
After an attempted body kick, Dalton slipped only for Paddy to jump in, stack his legs above his head, and take the back with a body triangle.
Dalton defended multiple rear naked choke attempts, intelligently shifting his head to the outside of Paddy’s grips.
Left with fewer and fewer options, Dalton rolled, belly-down only for Pimblett to release the body triangle, press his hips in, and land some heavy ground and pound.
Returning to his back, Dalton suffered more strikes before yet again turning to his front. Several punches later, the referee would step in at 2 minutes, 51 seconds of round 1.
After such a dominant display that showed Paddy’s critical thinking to abandon the choke in favour of the TKO victory, he looked set for a formidable 2020. However he wouldn’t fight for another 365 days until…
1. Vs. Davide Martinez – Cage Warriors 122 (March 20, 2021)
This lightweight bout was originally booked for March 2020, however the COVID-19 pandemic interfered and the matchup was added to Pimblett’s list of cancelled fights. A year to the day later, the fight took place in a co-main event.
Round 1 began with a measured striking display from Paddy.
Martinez rushed forward with a flurry of striking combinations but “The Baddy” managed his range and evaded the attacks.
Pimblett landed a head kick and followed up with a flying knee before entering the clinch. Paddy then landed a judo throw with an overhook and landed straight into side control.
After a slick transition into mount, Martinez turned his back and invited Paddy’s ground and pound.
Seeing the choking opportunity from back mount, Pimblett locked up a rear naked choke as he rolled onto his back and got the tap at 1 minute, 37 seconds of round 1.
Immediately after the fight, Paddy addressed Dana White and Sean Shelby directly down the camera, demanding that they “Give us a ring!”
Just two days later, he would sign for the UFC as one of the most high- profile British MMA talents in recent years. We now eagerly await his debut and look forward to the fireworks he is sure to bring!
