With countless social media memes and edited pictures, we all know that Paddy Pimblett goes well above the usual weight for fighters in the lightweight division when not in fight camp. However, lately, Paddy has let the world know just how difficult getting in shape can be and where it comes under the hardest parts of his job.
The Difficulties of a Fight Camp Diet
“I like punching people in the face and getting punched in the face. It’s the 7-10 week diet that bothers you.” Paddy explained via Instagram.
“When you’re depressed for the first two weeks, then you’ve got to have a de-load week. Your weight just plateaus for a week, and it’s not coming down. You start stressing. People don’t understand that bit. People just think you go in, step on the scales, and that’s it.”
Paddy has been known to inflate to over 200 pounds between fights. Yet he astoundingly gets back down to the required 155-pound mark in a matter of weeks.
In an interview with Gary Neville shortly before his fight at UFC London, Pimblett explained that the weight comes off quickly over time. “We’ve struggled in the past [to make weight] when we’ve been unprofessional about it. I’ve still got 14.5 kilos to lose… it just comes off me fast, though.”
When asked whether he’ll keep blowing up between fights as his career progresses, Paddy said: “Nah, I might grow up a bit more. I might actually keep my weight down a bit.”
Pimblett also says he embraces the nickname ‘Paddy The Fatty’, explaining: “Yeah, I enjoy being fat. I’d rather be fat and happy than ripped and miserable 24/7.”
As the finish wins keep flying in, the rough diet certainly isn’t hurting Paddy’s performances in the cage.
Do you think Paddy can go through his full career with challenging diets before each fight?
Featured image credits to Embed from Getty Images
