How Fatherhood Inspired A 'changed' Pimblett

There's been a alteration successful Paddy Pimblett. He hasn't noticed it, but nan group closest to him have.

Pimblett's team-mate Molly McCann, who retired past month, his coach Paul Rimmer, his woman Laura and his parents person each observed nan change.

They noticed it aft nan commencement of Pimblett's identical copy daughters, Betsy and Margot, 1 twelvemonth ago.

"It's fixed maine much motivation. I'm training harder than I've ever trained now because they're successful nan backmost of my mind," Pimblett tells BBC Sport.

"I request to look aft them for nan remainder of my life, I request to put nutrient connected nan array truthful yeah, it's changed me.

"All nan group closest to maine person said it and to beryllium honest, I cognize they're not gonna lie."

Liverpool's Pimblett has been training for nan adjacent large trial of his profession erstwhile he faces American lightweight Michael Chandler astatine UFC 314 successful Miami, Florida connected Saturday.

Pimblett says he has been successful nan gym almost "every day" since his statement first-round submission triumph complete Bobby Green successful July, preparing for Chandler, but has besides had much clip to set to parenthood.

Because Pimblett's daughters are identical, nan 30-year-old would sometimes get them mixed up, truthful he's figured retired a measurement to show them apart.

"There's only small things that thief maine show nan quality but 1 of nan large things is Margot has a bangle connected her near manus and Betty has a bangle connected her correct hand," he adds.

Pimblett responds pinch trademark humour erstwhile he is asked what he has learned since becoming a dad.

"Try and conscionable person 1 baby, twins are difficult work," jokes Pimblett.

"One of america can't conscionable put them to bed, some of america person to beryllium there. If 1 cries successful nan car they will aftermath nan different 1 up. So yeah, it's a batch harder."

Pimblett is 12th successful nan UFC lightweight rankings pursuing his triumph complete Green 9 months ago, while Chandler is 5 places supra him successful seventh.

The 38-year-old is simply a erstwhile three-time Bellator lightweight champion and UFC title challenger, losing to Charles Oliveira successful 2021.

Since joining nan UFC successful 2021 - though he has mislaid 4 of his six bouts - Chandler has developed into 1 of nan astir celebrated fighters connected nan roster because of his gung-ho fighting style and willingness to waste and acquisition punches pinch opponents.

With Pimblett nary alien to fanfare, nan shape is group for 1 of nan astir highly-anticipated bouts of nan year.

"Obviously everyone successful nan MMA world knew who Bobby Green and Tony Ferguson were, but Michael Chandler - astir of nan world cognize who he is, ne'er mind group who conscionable watch MMA," said Pimblett.

"He's gonna travel retired and effort and return my caput off, I cognize he is 100%, and I'll beryllium utilizing my scope against him.

"He's assured arsenic good arsenic I am, and I'm looking guardant to putting connected a show for everyone."

Pimblett has won each six fights since his UFC debut successful 2021 and believes he is not excessively acold distant from a lightweight title shot.

Russia's Islam Makhachev holds nan title astatine nan moment, pinch his triumph against Renato Moicano successful July breaking nan UFC grounds for astir defences of nan loop pinch four.

"A triumph will put maine up to rank seven, that's nan main thing. Beat Michael, past conflict personification successful nan apical five, past I'll beryllium fighting for nan title adjacent year," said Pimblett.

"All my fans [believe successful me]. And that's each that matters really - my friends, my family, my team-mates and my fans, I conscionable emotion proving haters wrong."