Sacrifice has paid off for Paddy Pimblett ahead of his clash with Justin Gaethje on Saturday with the Brit expecting to have the “least amount of weight” to cut for a fight in years.
Pimblett (23-3) will fight Gaethje (26-5) in Las Vegas on Saturday (4 a.m. Sunday GMT) for the UFC interim lightweight title.
While ‘The Baddy’ has developed somewhat of a reputation for letting his weight balloon in between fights before undergoing significant weight cuts in camp, Pimblett has revealed his discipline over the Christmas period means he hasn’t had that challenge ahead of UFC 324.
“This is the best I’ve ever been in camp. We’ve had a great camp,” Pimblett, whose weight cuts can be notoriously sizable, told media on Wednesday amid his cut to 155 pounds.
“It’s very cliché to say but I am in the best shape of my life. I’ve got the least amount of weight to cut that I’ve had in years. I feel fantastic. I don’t see how anybody can beat me, never mind Justin Gaethje.”
Paddy Pimblett (L) will fight for the UFC interim lightweight title this weekend. Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC
However, Pimblett has said he won’t be fighting this early in the year again after foregoing any indulgences over the holiday period.
“It was rough. Never fighting in January ever again. Ever again,” Pimblett said.
“Absolutely ruined my Christmas, and my birthday, because my birthday’s Jan.3. It ruined it in a big way but [you’ve] got to get on with it.
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“It’s a world title fight; I’ve been training for 16 years now for this to happen and it’s finally here.”
Should he beat Gaethje, Pimblett said he wants to fight undisputed champion Ilia Topuria later this year, but insisted he won’t go straight into another camp with Topuria saying this week he wants to fight between April and June.
“I’m not fighting in April, I’m going on holiday next month, lad,” Pimblett said.
“He can wait until the end of June, start of July. He’s not pushing me back after sitting out for a year.”
