5 Things You Might Not Know About Paddy Pimblett

Paddy Pimblett has drawn quite a following in a relatively short period of time.

The charisma-infused 27-year-old prospect will attempt to further entrench himself on the Ultimate Fighting Championship roster when he faces Rodrigo Vargas in a three-round UFC Fight Night 204 lightweight showcase on Saturday at the O2 Arena in London. Pimblett enters the cage with the wind of a three-fight winning streak at his back. He made a successful promotional debut on Sept. 4, when he chopped down Luigi Vendramini with punches in the first round of their UFC Fight Night 191 pairing.

As Pimblett approaches his confrontation with Vargas at 155 pounds, here are five things you might not know about him:

1. He was a quick study.

Pimblett made his professional mixed martial arts debut at the age of 17 when he struck Nathan Thompson into submission at an Olympian MMA Championships event on Oct. 16, 2012. He went on to fight eight times as a teenager, compiling a stellar 7-1 record in those appearances. Cameron Else was the only man to crack his code, as he put the still-green Pimblett to sleep with an anaconda choke in a mere 35 seconds in his fifth pro assignment.

2. Stability has allowed him to thrive.

“The Baddy” operates out of the well-established Next Generation MMA camp in Liverpool, England, where he trains under head coach Paul Rimmer and sharpens his skills alongside fellow UFC veterans Chris Fishgold and Molly McCann, among others. Pimblett’s gym sits roughly 200 miles from the O2 Arena.

3. Quick-strike offense was a pillar on which he built his reputation.

Pimblett boasts 10 first-round finishes on his resume but only one of the sub-minute variety. He punched out Jack Drabble in just 21 seconds at OMMAC 17 on June 1, 2013.

4. He answered a call for exclusive membership.

The Next Generation MMA representative remains one of only 12 men who have captured the undisputed Cage Warriors Fighting Championship featherweight crown. Paul McVeigh, Emmanuel Fernandez, Danny Batten, Conor McGregor, Jim Alers, Alex Enlund, Nad Narimani, Dean Trueman, Mads Burnell, Morgan Charriere and Jordan Vucenic are the others. Pimblett held the title from Sept. 10, 2016 to April 1, 2017—a span of 203 days.

5. He leans on his strengths.

Pimblett, who holds the rank of black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, has delivered seven of 17 career victories by submission. His methods of choice: four rear-naked chokes, two flying triangle chokes and one triangle armbar.