Lightweight rising star Paddy Pimblett may not be seen back in the Octagon for some time yet.
“The Baddy” last fought at UFC 282, where he picked up a controversial decision victory over Jared Gordon. While many believed Gordon had done enough to be declared the winner, Pimblett confidently asserted he’d dominated the fight, a sentiment that soured many fans on him.
Currently undefeated in the Octagon, Pimblett’s next steps in the UFC have remained unclear in the months since his last clash. The former Cage Warriors champion sustained an ankle injury during his fight with Gordon.
Now, it appears that injury might be more severe than initially expected.
Paddy Pimblett: “It Was A Lot Worse Than We Thought”
During a recent interaction with Sky Sports, during which he could be seen utilizing crutches, Paddy Pimblett detailed the major surgery he ended up requiring.
“I had to get surgery after my last fight,” Paddy Pimblett explained. “Last fight, I hurt my foot in the first round, in like the first minute or two, threw a kick, hurt it. I felt it, like, but we crack on, we get through the fight. At the end of the fight, I remember going back to the medical room and being like, ‘My foot’s sore.’ Couldn’t get it looked at properly until I got home. Then, when the actual swelling went down, I didn’t know if I needed to get surgery. It was a lot worse than we thought. I had to get inner and outer-ligament surgery, like reconstruction, so, it’s big.”
‘The Baddy’ was then asked how long he will likely be on crutches for. He revealed he’s looking at another six weeks or so. Worse still, he doesn’t seem confident he’ll even be able to step into the Octagon this year.
“Could be another six weeks,” Paddy Pimblett said. “I’ve already been on them for six, six and a half… I’ll be lucky to fight this year.”
The update comes despite UFC President Dana White and Pimblett’s own manager recently suggesting a return to action is likely before the end of the year, with both naming October as a possibility.
