7 MINUTES AGO 🔥 UFC Fighter Paddy Pimblett Sparked Controversy After Announcing That He Would Not Take Part in the UFC Pride Night

Liverpool, 14 October 2025 – The MMA world is ablaze just seven minutes after Paddy “The Baddy” Pimblett dropped a bombshell on Instagram: the rising UFC lightweight star has declared he will boycott the inaugural UFC Pride Night event scheduled for November 15 at Madison Square Garden. In a raw, unfiltered post that’s already racked up 150,000 views, the 30-year-old Scouser stated unequivocally: “This sport should focus entirely on performance inside the Octagon, not on political issues or social movements.” The announcement, timed just after his grueling training session at Next Generation MMA, has ignited a firestorm of backlash, support, and heated debates across social media, pitting Pimblett’s no-nonsense ethos against the UFC’s growing push for inclusivity.

To contextualize the uproar, rewind to the UFC’s announcement last month. Pride Night, modeled after the NBA and NFL’s celebrations, aims to honor the LGBTQ+ community with rainbow-branded Octagons, fighter interviews on allyship, and a portion of proceeds donated to GLAAD. It’s part of UFC CEO Dana White’s “evolving” stance on social initiatives, following criticism for past controversies like homophobic slurs from fighters. Top contenders like Islam Makhachev and Arman Tsarukyan have pledged participation, with Makhachev tweeting a rainbow emoji in solidarity. But Pimblett, ranked #7 in the lightweight division after his third-round TKO of Michael Chandler at UFC 314 in April, has drawn a line in the sand. “I’ve got mates from all walks—gay, straight, whatever. I love ’em all,” he elaborated in a follow-up video on his story, viewed 80,000 times already. “But strapping a rainbow on my shorts or waving flags? Nah, that’s not me. We’re here to scrap, not signal virtue. If that makes me the villain, so be it.”

Pimblett’s history amplifies the shock. The Liverpool native, a former Cage Warriors featherweight champ with a flair for trash-talk and post-fight rants, has never shied from controversy. His 2022 unanimous decision win over Jared Gordon at UFC 282 sparked outrage when media scored it for Gordon, and his 2021 Twitter ban for “targeted abuse” against trolls cemented his rebel image. More recently, his post-UFC 317 feud with new lightweight champ Ilia Topuria—escalating from a shove in the cage after Topuria’s KO of Charles Oliveira—has fans salivating for a title eliminator. Topuria, who vacated his featherweight belt for the win, called Pimblett a “clown” in a Spanish interview, while Paddy fired back: “I’ll smash your face in the Bernabeu, you plastic Spaniard.” Now, this Pride boycott adds fuel, with some seeing it as aligned with his anti-“woke” Liverpool roots, others as tone-deaf in a sport courting broader audiences.

The reaction has been swift and polarized. On X, #PimblettPrideBoycott exploded to 200,000 posts in minutes, with progressive fans like @MMAEqualityNow decrying: “Paddy’s punching down again—UFC, fine him!” Conservative voices, including podcaster Joe Rogan (who retweeted with a thumbs-up), hailed it as “refreshing honesty.” Ariel Helwani, breaking the story on his show, called it “a PR nightmare for UFC,” noting Pimblett’s $500,000 purse from Chandler could face clawbacks if the promotion enforces participation. Teammate Tom Aspinall, UFC heavyweight champ, distanced himself: “Paddy’s Paddy—love the lad, but this one’s on him.” GLAAD issued a statement: “We respect personal choices but urge fighters to amplify voices, not silence them.” Sponsors like Venum, Pimblett’s apparel partner, went radio silent, while his energy drink deal with a UK brand hinted at support via a subtle like.

For Pimblett, undefeated in the UFC at 7-0 with four Performance bonuses, the timing is precarious. He’s eyeing a shot at Topuria, who named him as a potential first defense post his Oliveira demolition. “If skipping rainbows costs me the belt, I’ll dye the Octagon red with his blood,” he joked in the video. But insiders whisper UFC brass is fuming—White, a Trump ally with his own inclusivity blind spots, can’t afford boycotts amid Disney+ negotiations. Pimblett’s camp insists it’s principled: “The Baddy fights for Scouse pride, not corporate checkboxes.”

This saga underscores MMA’s cultural tightrope: raw combat versus polished product. As Pride Night looms, will Pimblett face fines, a forced apology, or a villain’s push like CM Punk in WWE? One thing’s certain—inside the Octagon or out, Paddy thrives on chaos. Seven minutes in, and the world’s already hooked.