Paddy Pimblett feels that there is no comparison between the UFC and other organizations like Bellator and PFL.
Paddy “The Baddy” Pimblett has become a UFC sensation since his arrival in the organization back in 2021. He became an overnight fan favorite and is now one of the most in-demand fighters on the roster. Pimblett is constantly being called out by other fighters and has a huge social media following. With his popularity has come success inside the Octagon. Pimblett is doing well for himself but can remember a time when that was not the case.
Pimblett got his start in MMA in the UK-based Cage Warriors promotion. He was well known with the English crowd but was not necessarily at the level he is today. He recalls wanting to quit MMA back when he was 18 years old because he simply wasn’t making enough. He recalls that time in his life in an interview with Severe MMA.
“I was looking walking away from MMA at 4-1 just because I wasn’t getting paid enough money,” he said. “I was gonna quit MMA when I was at like 4-1. I wasn’t getting paid anywhere near enough, I was getting paid like 500 pounds a fight or something stupid like that. And it wasn’t enough.”
Paddy Pimblett believes that no MMA fighter would choose Bellator over the UFC except for money
Pimblett knows firsthand how difficult it is to make a living in MMA. He has been there himself so he does not fault any fighter for making decisions based on money. However, he believes that the gold standard in MMA is the UFC. He thinks the other organizations like Bellator or PFL are just not on the same level.
“I can understand a lot of fighters now that are going to PFL and are going to Bellator but if you’ve got a dream that you want to be in the UFC that I think 99 out of 100 MMA fighters their dream is to be in the UFC,” he said. “No one gets up in the morning goes I want to fight for Bellator or I want to play for PFL. The only reason people go to PFL is to try and win the million dollars with easier fights.”
Pimblett is not only looking to make the most he can out of his time in the UFC Octagon, but he has also been adamant about making money outside the cage as well. He recently got into a feud with MMA journalist Ariel Helwani about wanting to be paid for interviews. He also has his own brand of drink that he has been marketing on his social media. It might be a bit before he can get back in the cage however since he is currently sidelined with an injury.
