Pimblett’s hard work in the field of men’s mental health was recognized over the weekend when he won Celebrity of the Year at the National Diversity Awards.
Paddy Pimblett was honored on Friday night by the National Diversity Awards for his charitable efforts in Liverpool including his calls to speak more openly about depression and suicide.
Pimblett seemed shocked when he was called up to stage to accept the ‘Celebrity of the Year Award.’
“You know what, I’m not gonna lie … I haven’t got no speech prepared or anything like that,” he said at the podium. “I didn’t expect this, I just thought I was here to make up the numbers for that category. I thought like, ‘Yeah, he’s from Liverpool. We’ll invite him. He’ll come!’ But I’ve won!”
Pimblett has been vocal about difficulties with his mental health since arriving in the UFC, and has shared how he went through a deep depression in 2018. In 2022 he dedicated a UFC post-fight victory speech to a friend who had committed suicide, urging men to talk to each other. The National Diversity Awards played that speech as Pimblett made his way to the stage.
“I can’t thank anyone enough for picking me,” he continued. “But, as I say, I just do what I do. I’m just a normal lad from Liverpool, and I just said what I said that night and obviously I’ve stuck with it. I need to give a big shout out to my foundation, The Baddy Foundation, and the people who I work with, James’s Place. They save lives constantly, men’s lives. They saved mine. So a big shout out to them.”
Mental health struggles aren’t just one-and-done. Pimblett recently admitted he was back in a bad place before his impressive win over King Green at UFC 304. Things were looking so bad his coaching team were prepared to pull “The Baddy” off the card weeks out from the Manchester event.
“As I say, I’m just doing my bit,” Paddy concluded. “I think anyone in my position should try to help people less fortunate than them.”
Pimblett has teased a return to the cage in late 2024, but it’s a real question as to whether he’ll fight again soon or if the UFC will throw him onto The Ultimate Fighter as a coach opposite Renato Moicano. Filming for the last two seasons of TUF started in February / March, and thus far the UFC hasn’t tipped their hand as to what they’re thinking. So we’ll have to continue to wait and see what they have next in line for the popular Scouse fighter.