Add Sean O’Malley to the list of people who have cautioned Paddy Pimblett for ballooning up in between fights.
Ex-UFC bantamweight champion T.J. Dillashaw critiqued Pimblett, UFC president Dana White expressed concern, and now O’Malley has chimed in.
Although O’Malley has an amicable relationship with Pimblett (19-3 MMA, 3-0 UFC), who has reached up to 200 pounds after fights, he thinks the lightweight star seriously needs to watch his weight.
“It will age you quick,” O’Malley said on “The Timbo Sugar Show” podcast. “I never really get fat ever, but even when I’m bigger, it’s like I can’t train. I mean, I still can and I feel stronger at that weight, but it’s not realistic. I’m not going to be 159 (pounds) in the cage ever. I get in the cage 155, 154, whatever, so it’s just not good.
“It’s not good. He probably never was really making a ton of money. Now he’s making good money, he’s traveling to the United States, he’s going to L.A. eating all this, all those opportunities. I would love to go eat with him.”
Pimblett has never missed weight in the UFC. “The Baddy” most recently was seen in action in July when he submitted Jordan Leavitt in the second round at UFC Fight Night 208 in London for his third straight Performance of the Night bonus.
O’Malley is gearing up for his biggest fight to date, a main card showdown with ex-bantamweight champion Petr Yan at UFC 280 on Oct. 22 in Abu Dhabi.