UFC star Paddy Pimblett has revealed how he idolised Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard while growing up.
Pimblett, a former Cage Warriors lightweight champion, made his UFC debut in September, knocking out Luigi Vendramini in the first round.
The Liverpudlian, 26, has quickly become a hit with fans, and he told the “Pardon My Take” podcast this week how he got into mixed martial arts despite a childhood desire to play football.
“Everyone from Liverpool wants to be a football player,” Pimblett said. “Everyone wanted to be Steven Gerrard.
“I realised I was s*** at football when I was like 11, so I stopped playing that anyway and just started being a little s***, going round throwing stones at windows.
“I started going to the gym when I was 15, and it was mad, when it came to jiu-jitsu and grappling I was just a natural. I just took to it straight away. I had to get used to the striking a bit more, but as soon as I had a fight there was no feeling like it.
“I haven’t had a child, but the only feeling I can describe like getting your hand raised in a cage, is having a kid.”
Pimblett’s childhood hero Gerrard was on Thursday named Aston Villa’s new head coach, having left his role as Rangers manager.
