Manchester — UFC 304 lightweight Paddy Pimblett is far from impressed with Bobby Green’s recent name change.
The former Bobby has legally changed his name to “King” Green, something that received wide coverage of his fight with Pimblett.
“It shows what a dickhead he is, know what I mean? Imagine being early forties of age and changing your name to ‘King.’ It’s embarrassing, lad,” Pimblett (21-3) said on Wednesday, speaking with media outlets including Cageside Press. “Grow up. As I said in other interviews, he needs to get real.”
Ahead of UFC 304, Pimblett’s coach, Paul Rimmer, nearly yanked him from the card due to mental health struggles the Liverpool lightweight was experiencing.
“There was stuff going on externally, stuff going on in my head,” Pimblett said on that front. “Obviously when Paul said it to me, I was upset. I was not happy with him, I was angry. Obviously he’s my coach, he’s like my second dad, and he’s only looking out for my best interests.”
“Since that moment, I’ve had one of the best camps I’ve ever had. Couple of weeks out, four, five, six weeks out I was thinking ‘oh my God this is the worst camp of my life and I’m going into arguably my toughest fight. But then the last couple of weeks has just been quality. I’m looking forward to getting in the octagon again and beating this idiot [Green] up.”
Pimblett noted that the subject of mental health has been at the forefront of his mind of late, in part because of the death of Cage Warriors alum Connor Hitchens. Paddy “The Baddy” was particularly disgusted by the response from people online, in response to news of the death, and to him speaking out about the subject.
“I just feel like it’s something that needs talking about,” said Pimblett, who noted people claimed he was doing it for a “PR stunt.”
“It’s mad. People saying I’m only doing it for that reason when I know several people who have killed themselves. I’ve thought about it in the past. So why would I put that sort of pressure on myself? Again, I do it because I feel like I need to and I don’t want more people to kill themselves, especially men. They just don’t talk to you, they kill themselves. But some of the responses to me saying that are like ‘just kill yourself then, you might as well kill yourself.'”
Watch the full UFC 304 media day appearance by Paddy Pimblett above.
