Paddy Pimblett has admitted his constant weight fluctuations as an MMA fighter have left him with an eating disorder.
The Scouse fighter is a fan-favourite, with many expressing concern as they watch him balloon in weight during his junk food binges after he finishes a fight camp. In his early career, Pimblett fought as low as 135lb, but has found his healthy division at 155lb, even though he often weighs 200lb during his post-fight fluctuations.
And he admits that after beating a gambling addiction and a party lifestyle he has found solace in food, which he has to cut down on as he gets down to 155lb. However, it has led to people being amazed when they go for meals with him, and Pimblett believing that he suffers with an eating disorder due to the excessive dieting and bingeing.
“I’ve had party days," told Steve-O on his Wild Ride podcast after tipping the scales at 206.6lb during a live weigh-in on the show, putting him over 50lb above his fighting weight. "I’ve been bad then. I got into gambling a little and I was bad with that. I think now it’s moved on to food. I genuinely think I’m a food addict.
"I think I’ve got a bit of an eating disorder because of MMA. The weight cuts, dieting, I genuinely think I have a bit of an eating disorder. People when they go eat with me they are visibly shocked at how much I can eat.”
Pimblett performed a U-turn recently on his claim that he would never fight in New York due to the tax situation in the city. However, he likely won't make it on the UFC 281 card to join his best friend Molly McCann, who faces Erin Blanchfield in her Madison Square Garden debut.
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Instead, he says, he would rather jump on the touted December 10 UFC 282 card. That is scheduled to take place in Las Vegas at the T-Mobile Arena, with Jon Jones expected to return against Stipe Miocic in an interim heavyweight title showdown.
“There's no fight on the schedule but I've got my eye on the December 10 card," Pimblett explained. "It’s got me excited to be honest, I haven’t been excited in a long time. If you share the Octagon the same night as Jon Jones you’re going to be excited.”
The Scouse fighter has made waves with three early stoppages in his first year under the UFC banner. He knocked out Luigi Vendramini in front of a small crowd at the Apex in Las Vegas before wowing crowds at The O2 arena in London with submission wins over Rodrigo Vargas and Jordan Leavitt to go 3-0 within his debut year with the promotion.
