TLDR
- Boxer Erika Knight complimented Paddy Pimblett‘s Scouse accent at a Misfits Boxing event in London on Saturday
- Pimblett said he would consider competing in Misfits Boxing “if the money’s right in a couple of years”
- The UFC fighter suffered severe depression after losing a 2018 Cage Warriors title fight to Søren Bak
- Pimblett founded the Baddy Foundation in 2022 to support people facing mental health issues
- He recently bounced back from his first UFC loss by submitting Benoit Saint Denis in 52 seconds at UFC 329
Sources: mmasucka.com | essentiallysports.com | mmasucka.com
UFC lightweight Paddy Pimblett became part of a viral moment at a Misfits Boxing event in London on Saturday when boxer Erika Knight complimented his Scouse accent. Knight had just lost a close decision for the women’s lightweight title to champion Carla Jade.
After the fight, Knight approached Pimblett at ringside to discuss the judges’ decision. She then shifted the conversation, telling the audience she wanted to learn a Scouse accent “because I heard it was the sexiest accent.”
Erika Night rizzing Paddy Pimblett in the crowd after her fight 😭
“I’m trying to get a Scouse accent, I heard it’s the sexiest accent in the world.” pic.twitter.com/3ABlXNBATx
— Happy Punch (@HappyPunch) October 11, 2026
Pimblett laughed off the comment and told Knight that no one could properly replicate a Liverpool accent, especially Americans. He then tested her pronunciation skills using a local phrase about “chicken and a can of coke.”
The friendly exchange ended with Knight thanking him for the lesson and inviting him to her next fight. While at the boxing event, Pimblett also discussed the possibility of competing in Misfits Boxing himself.
Pimblett Leaves Door Open for Boxing Crossover
When asked by Gunman Boxing if he could take on the entire Misfits roster in one night, Pimblett responded “Obviously. Of course, I could.” He did not rule out a future appearance with the promotion.
“You never know,” Pimblett said. “We’ll see if the money’s right in a couple of years.”
A potential move would follow Michael “Venom” Page’s recent multi-fight deal with Misfits Boxing. Page signed with the promotion after going 5-1 in the UFC and leaving on a four-fight winning streak.
However, Pimblett made clear that becoming UFC lightweight champion remains his main priority. He recently bounced back from his first UFC loss to Justin Gaethje at UFC 324 in January by submitting Benoit Saint Denis in just 52 seconds at UFC 329 in July.
Mental Health Struggles Following 2018 Loss
Behind Pimblett’s lighthearted public personality lies a serious commitment to mental health advocacy. His mission stems from a dark period following a September 2018 defeat in Cage Warriors.
Pimblett lost a five-round unanimous decision to Søren Bak for the Cage Warriors lightweight championship in Liverpool. He had believed victory would bring him closer to the UFC.
“When I lost that fight, I had a bit of mental health problems, and I got very depressed,” Pimblett told UFC.com in 2021. “I thought that life was never gonna get better, to be honest.”
Pimblett described waking up crying in the mornings after his fiancée left for work. He believed his opportunity to compete in the UFC had disappeared completely.
He eventually recovered with support from his fiancée, family, gym teammates, and close friends. “It took realizing who my real mates were, getting my close friends back close, keeping the missus close, everyone in here, my family,” Pimblett said.
The experience changed his approach to mental health awareness. In 2022, Pimblett delivered a viral speech at UFC London urging men to talk about their struggles after losing a close friend to suicide.
He founded the Baddy Foundation the same year to provide support for people facing mental health issues. The foundation focuses specifically on men’s mental health advocacy.
On World Mental Health Day on October 10, Liverpool FC featured Pimblett in a campaign encouraging supporters to speak openly about mental health and suicide prevention. In the campaign, Pimblett shared his experiences and reflected on losing people close to him to suicide.
Pimblett also expressed interest in fighting Ilia Topuria, with whom he has an ongoing rivalry dating back to UFC London in 2022. The two nearly came to blows at their fighter hotel before their separate fights that night.
Former UFC BMF champion Jorge Masvidal recently called a potential Pimblett-Topuria fight “the biggest fight you can make,” citing both fighters’ large fanbases in Europe and Latin America.
