In late December, a month before he arrived at Manchester Top Team to settle his inherited beef with Oktagon lightweight Denis Frimpong in a soon-to-be viral gym fight, Paddy Pimblett was already hinting at the biggest fight of his life against Michael Chandler at UFC 314.
“I’ve said yeah, the opponent said yeah, just need to get stuff signed. So you know the score, everyone — like, comment, subscribe, and I’ll see you at the top,” he told his abundant YouTube audience, signing off with one of Chandler’s signature catchphrases.
Six months hadn’t even passed since Pimblett’s star-making moment at Manchester’s Co-op Live, when, in the middle of the night, “The Baddy” electrified spectators on the soil of his beloved Liverpool Football Club’s bitter rivals, Manchester United, by choking King Green to sleep in just three minutes at UFC 304.
Pockets of the fan base continue to criticize the Next Generation fighter, claiming he’s been given preferential treatment by the powers that be. His unique look, headline-grabbing patter and unbeaten UFC record have underlined his status as a superstar in the making. Yet, with so much to lose, there he was on a cold January morning, standing on business in enemy territory.
Although he’s the same age as the 30-year-old Pimblett, Frimpong’s start in the sport came nearly a decade later.
When the U.K. regional scene was getting its first glimpses of “The Baddy,” Frimpong was making a name for himself on the Irish track and field beat. A self-confessed “scrapper,” his future calling may not have come as a surprise to those in the athletics community, as his propensity to pop off got him removed from several track meets.
The pandemic brought a shift in his training focus. From the famed mats of East Coast Jiu-Jitsu, he moved into the striking realm with the celebrated Dublin Combat Academy. Eventually, successful sparring sessions with notable dance partners guided him toward MMA as a career.
A job opportunity in Manchester forced Frimpong across the Irish Sea in 2022. With two amateur fights already to his name, he looked to find a permanent home for his training. He imagined he would split his training across multiple facilities, but after dipping his toe in several, he realized it wouldn’t fly.
“The reality was, with a full-time job, I didn’t really have time to be running up and down the country for ...
