Former Cage Warriors champion Paddy Pimblett makes his long-awaited Ultimate Fighting Championship debut on Saturday at UFC Vegas 36. And on that night inside the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada, the native of Liverpool will be taking a pay cut to be a member of the UFC roster.
Over the last few years Pimblett, 26, became one of the sport’s most notable prospects outside the UFC, as he sold out venues for UK-based promotion Cage Warriors while he won the promotion’s featherweight title and then became a star at lightweight. During that time, the UFC came calling on several ocassions with offers to compete in the Octagon. However, in each instance “The Baddy” always felt he wasn’t ready yet. That is until now.
Paddy Pimblett taking a pay cut to fight in the UFC
“When I was 21, I wasn’t professional at all. I was still a young kid out partying all the time when I won that [feahterweight] world title,” Pimblett told “>BJPenn.com. “Then when I was 23 I just moved to lightweight [and] I was still very small for lightweight. I wasn’t cutting any weight. I was still a child out fighting men. And that showed when I fought Soren Bak. He cut seven kilos and I cut none. Now it’s just the perfect time. Back then I was just a fighter, now I’m an athlete. Now I’m better everywhere.”
Although now is the perfect time for him to begin his UFC career, things aren’t perfect when it comes to the amount of money Pimblett (16-3) will be making in the promotion. In Cage Warriors he was a megastar that could carry an event, and he was paid accordingly. Now as a prospect in the UFC, he is at the bottom of the ladder in the promotion and is also being paid in accordance with that status in the organization.
“It wasn’t to do with sponsorships, it was my flat fee,” Pimblett said when asked about making more in Cage Warriors than in the UFC. “My flat fee was more. I’m gonna eventually get more in the UFC so it’s just one of [those things].”
Pimblett on UFC Vegas 36 opponent: ‘I didn’t have a clue who he was’
At UFC Vegas 36, Pimblett will make his debut against three-fight UFC veteran Luigi Vendramini (9-2). I fighter the Englishman had never even heard of until the booking was offered to him. Considering that, it should come as no surprise then that the skilled grappler and confident talent doesn’t expect “The Italian Stallion” to last very long with him inside the Octagon on Saturday.
It’s just who the UFC offered, I didn’t have a clue who he was, said Pimblett. I leave it up to my coaches but I did have to look myself. … I’ll be very disappointed if he gets out of the first round. … As everyone knows, I’m a good grappler so I focused on my striking a lot over the last year and a half, two years. People are going to get a fright. I’m going to put hands on people [and] throw kicks.”
UFC Vegas 36 takes place on September 4, inside Las Vegas’ UFC Apex. The event begins at 1:30 pm ET with preliminary action and is then followed by the main card at 4 pm ET. The entire event will air exclusively on streaming service ESPN+.
