Paddy Pimblett has always struggled with brutal weight cuts and since joining the UFC, his weight fluctuations have become even more documented.
Since joining the UFC in 2021, Paddy Pimblett has become one of the sport’s biggest stars, winning over fans from all over the world having already built up a huge fanbase in the UK.
And during that time, a big talking point regarding his career has been his weight. When ‘The Baddy’ isn’t in fight camp, he has been known to balloon in weight massively, sometimes walking around at north of 200lbs.
Fortunately so far it hasn’t caused any issues during his UFC tenure and the Scouser is currently on an incredibly impressive run, knocking on the door of title contention having scored a win over Michael Chandler last time out at UFC 314.
Pimblett almost suffered kidney failure after shocking weight cut
The 30-year-old is an exemplary professional and despite his love for junk food outside of fight camp, he always makes weight and looks in tremendous shape when doing so.
However, he has previously been warned about the potential issues of blowing up outside of camp by a former fighter who faced the same issues.
Prior to his fight against Chandler, Pimblett lost 14lbs in 14 hours before going on a crazy junk food binge just a day out from the biggest fight of his career thus far.
Not only that, but throughout his six week fight camp for UFC 314, ‘The Baddy’ cut in excess of 31lbs, showing that he walks around substantially heavier than he likely should be.
And although he isn’t currently facing issues with his weight cuts, there was a time in his career when his weight cut was so brutal that he almost suffered a terrifying kidney failure.
For a large part of his career in Cage Warriors, Pimblett used to fight at 145lbs, and after winning the title in 2016 against Julian Erosa, he booked his first title defence just a few months later.
“Lad, that (cut to 145lbs) was disgusting. The Erosa one was bad and then the one after it I fought Nad Narimani to defend my belt and I ended up eventually losing that fight,” Pimblett began to explain on his podcast.
“When I’d cut weight and I was on weight, I went and got a DEXA scan in the University in Liverpool and a couple of days after a doctor looked at it and said, ‘If I would have seen this before the fight, I wouldn’t have let you fight.’ I was like a 1lb away from kidney failure.
“There was something wrong with my liver and they said I had no testosterone in my body, he said ‘If I would’ve looked at that I would’ve said you are not fighting.’
“I’m the example of how not to cut weight,” Pimblett continued.
What is next for Paddy Pimblett?
Now getting ever closer to fighting for a UFC title, Pimblett may be looking to take his out-of-fight condition more seriously.
After Ilia Topuria recently won the lightweight title at UFC 317, Pimblett stepped into the cage for an impromptu face off, sparking calls for a title fight.
Despite that, if the 30-year-old doesn’t fight for the title next, his next fight has been suggested by Sean O’Malley, who thinks a clash against Max Holloway could make sense.