Surging lightweight contender Paddy “The Baddy” Pimblett will serve as the co-main event for UFC 282 this weekend. This would mark the Englishman’s UFC PPV debut. Pimblett moved up to the co-main spot after the original main event between Glover Teixeira and Jiri Prochazka fell through. As of now, the exciting lightweight is still unranked in the UFC. However, he has amassed a large fan following in a short amount of time. Recently, Pimblett opened up about UFC superstardom and who he considers the stars of the sport at the moment.

‘The Baddy’ is currently 3-0 in the UFC with all three wins being finishes. The yet-to-be-ranked Pimblett will fight another unranked contender in Jared Gordon on December 10. With a victory in the co-main event, Pimblett may finally enter the rankings and expand his already huge fanbase.

Paddy Pimblett names the superstars in combat sports

Pimblett sat down for a chat with ESPN’s Brett Okamoto ahead of UFC 282. The pair covered several topics, including Pimblett’s preparation for UFC 282, his rise to superstardom, and the origin of his nickname, ‘The Baddy.’

Speaking of superstars in the UFC, Okamoto asked him about the names in combat sports he associated with the term ‘superstars.’

“Obviously you got Conor McGregor, Muhammad Ali, people like that; Floyd Mayweather. Not many… Obviously, in our sport, there’s a few big draws- crash mat (Khamzat), Sean O’Malley, myself, and Conor. You know what I mean? Like, they’re the main ones.”

Okamoto asked if Pimblett ever tried to fuel the superstar traits despite him claiming it came naturally. The 27-year-old said, “I’d hate myself if I tried. You know what I mean? I hate fake people. I don’t like it.” He added that it was the reason he did not like Colby Covington. He said that he found people putting on acts “annoying.”

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As they went ahead with their conversation, Pimblett revealed how he got his nickname and how his name became a song for his fans.

The story behind the nickname ‘The Baddy’

The Liverpool native revealed to Okamoto that he got the moniker before his third amateur fight. He said did not have a nickname to give the announcer. It was his coach who then suggested Paddy ‘The Baddy’ Pimblett.

Pimblett added you needed to have a killer nickname to grab attention in the sport. He mentioned that he and Molly McCann had nicknames that stood out from the rest. He also mentioned how the song associated with his nickname grew popular during his Cage Warriors days.

When asked about the reason behind the energy he brings to the fights, Pimblett said, “I don’t know. People just aren’t me lad. I’m me. I’m unapologetically myself. You see me with the cameras on, without the cameras on, I’m just the same. So that’s why I said I don’t like it when people say ‘he’s putting it on, he’s acting.’ I’m not. This is me. What you see is what you get.”

Pimblett also mentioned that it was a special feeling to walk out to the crowd screaming his name and singing to his tune. This weekend he will get to experience that special feeling once more as he walks out to face Jared Gordon at the UFC 282.

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What are your predictions for Paddy Pimblett vs. Jared Gordon? Let us know in the comments below.