Weight cutting is a common but highly dangerous practice in combat sports, particularly in mixed martial arts. Fighters often shed large amounts of weight in short timeframes to qualify for lower weight classes, but the process carries severe health risks. Paddy Pimblett, a standout in the UFC, recently opened up about a near-fatal weight cut that highlighted the extreme dangers involved. His experience underscores the urgent need for greater scrutiny of weight-cutting practices in MMA.
Medical professionals consistently warn against rapid weight loss methods, which are less regulated in MMA compared to boxing. While boxers follow strict medical monitoring during their weight cuts, many MMA fighters resort to drastic dehydration techniques with minimal oversight. It is not uncommon for fighters to lose as much as 15 pounds within just a few hours before the weigh-in, sometimes resulting in serious health emergencies.
Pimblett’s Dramatic Weight Loss and its Consequences
Paddy Pimblett competes at lightweight, weighing in at 155 pounds for his UFC bouts, but his off-camp weight often exceeds 200 pounds. Before joining the UFC, Pimblett fought mainly in lighter divisions, including featherweight (145 pounds) and bantamweight (135 pounds). He revealed that cutting to these lower weights was incredibly challenging and sometimes perilous.
During his time with Cage Warriors, a British regional MMA promotion, Pimblett made seven featherweight appearances and three attempts at bantamweight, missing weight twice at the latter. One of his most harrowing experiences came before his 2017 featherweight title fight against Nad Narimani, when his extreme weight cut nearly resulted in kidney failure and liver complications.
Close Call with Kidney Failure During Early Career Weight Cuts
Pimblett shared that a doctor who performed a DEXA scan on him during this dangerous weight cut indicated that if he had lost just one more pound, he risked severe organ failure. The same doctor revealed that Pimblett had severely depleted testosterone levels at the time. Pimblett recalled:
A couple of days after, the doctor looked at it and said, ‘If I would’ve seen this before the fight, I wouldn’t have let you fight.’ I was like one pound away from kidney failure and something with my liver. He said I had no testosterone in my body. He said, ‘If I would have looked at that, I would have said you are not fighting.’
—Paddy Pimblett, UFC Fighter
The gravity of this revelation is made more acute by the fact that pimblett was still allowed to compete despite these health warnings. The long-term damage caused by such cuts can be devastating and sometimes irreversible.
The Infamous DEXA Scan as a Cautionary Tale
Later, Pimblett learned that the exact DEXA scan from 2017 is now used to teach other fighters how not to approach weight cutting. The scan, though unnamed, serves as an example of the dangers of extreme dehydration and rapid weight loss within MMA circles. Pimblett commented on this unusual legacy:
I only found out recently a year or two ago that the DEXA scan is used in the PI to tell people how not to cut weight. It doesn’t say it’s me, but I found out that it’s me. I’m the example of how not to cut weight!
—Paddy Pimblett, UFC Fighter
This highlights the lack of standardized safety protocols in many MMA organizations to prevent such harmful practices. It also reveals the immense physical toll fighters like Pimblett endure beyond their time in the Octagon.
Weight Cuts Often as Challenging as the Fights Themselves
Fighters receive accolades for their performance inside the cage, but rarely are the sacrifices behind the scenes fully appreciated. The brutal discipline and health risks involved in weight cutting can often be more demanding than the contests they prepare for. Pimblett’s experience provides a window into the physical dangers that are all too common in professional MMA.
Despite numerous instances of health crises and even cancelled bouts, weight cutting remains deeply embedded in the sport’s culture, with few signs of meaningful reform. UFC President Dana White and others continue to monitor fight lineups, including upcoming matches for fighters like Tom Aspinall, but the ongoing debate over making weight safer in MMA remains unresolved.
Paddy Pimblett’s story serves as a critical reminder of the urgent need for better protective measures for fighters, to ensure their health and longevity beyond their competitive careers.
Our Reader’s Queries
Q. Has Paddy Pimblett ever lost a fight?
A. When he started out, he secured a victory and moved on to compete for the Cage Warriors lightweight championship. However, he was defeated by Søren Bak, losing through a unanimous decision.
Q. Why did Paddy Pimblett get $200,000?
A. White originally said bonuses would be doubled after Green asked at the pre-fight press conference last Thursday. However, on Saturday night, Pimblett’s bonus was doubled again. Interestingly, Pimblett received this bonus for defeating Green with a first-round submission during the main event.
Q. Did Paddy Pimblett ever lose?
A. He experienced his first loss early in his career when Cameron Else beat him in October 2013, only 35 seconds into the fight. This happened during his third fight with Cage Warriors. After this setback, he clearly improved and didn’t lose another match until April 2017.
Q. Is Paddy Pimblett a millionaire?
A. Pimblett’s estimated net worth is around $5 million in 2025. His UFC career record stands at 22-3-0. He has quickly gained fame as an MMA star. He also signed many endorsement deals and earns a lot from social media.