Paddy Pimblett has told UFC fans that they should be showing more respect to Conor McGregor despite his recent losses after a legendary career.
The Irishman was a two-weight world champion in his prime, once ruling over the lightweight division where Pimblett himself is a top prospect. And after visiting McGregor's pub during a recent trip to Dublin with pal Molly McCann, the Scouse fighter posted a video in which he told fans that they should hold more reverence for what the former champion has done in his career.
McGregor is on a two-fight losing skid and only recently returned to MMA sparring at SBG Ireland's headquarters. But he insists that he will return to the sport after recovering from a broken leg and still plans to become a world champion at an unprecedented third weight.
Speaking in a recent Instagram video, Pimblett said: "It was great when Conor said good things about us because I've got respect for Conor. A lot of people in MMA, they talk bad about him, and he might have changed a bit but that amount of money can do that and without him MMA wouldn't be what it is now.
"Gary Neville wouldn't be coming into this gym to interview me and Molly if it wasn't for Conor McGregor and the way he made the whole sport explode into the mainstream. Without Conor McGregor, I'm not getting paid what I do now and getting a Barstool deal or the sponsorship opportunities I get. A lot of people need to put respect on Conor's name."
Pimblett visited The Black Forge Inn, McGregor's swanky South Dublin hotspot, where he had a steak and a burger before taking a FaceTime call from the man himself. McGregor was quick to point out that Pimblett has put on a lot of weight since his last fight, joking with the Scouse fighter about his bulking.
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"You're already putting all that weight on again, lad!" McGregor can be seen saying in the YouTube video. "It's crazy because your face is way different straight away." Pimblett, who is no stranger to going on post-fight binges, then responded to McGregor: "Yeah, I’m back up to 191 pounds already."
The Irishman has also put on a considerable amount of weight over the past year, although in a very different way to how Pimblett does between fights. He is said to be around 190lb, but hasn't put on a great deal of fat and is instead looking much more muscular than he would during a standard fight camp.
He just returned to Ireland from a two-week shoot in the Dominican Republic, where he was filming his Hollywood debut, Road House, with Jake Gyllenhaal. It remains to be seen when McGregor will return to fighting, although he is expected to be done at lightweight and instead target a welterweight foray.
