Paddy Pimblett Explains The Reason Why Muay Thai Fighters Don’t Transition to the UFC
One of the UFC’s rising stars in the lightweight division ‘The Baddy’ Paddy Pimblett shared his perspective on why Muay Thai fighters are seldom seen in the UFC despite being the greatest strikers on earth.
Paddy Pimblett on Muay Thai Fighters
Paddy Pimblett pointed to cultural factors, financial obligations, and technical differences between Muay Thai and MMA athletes. Discussing the challenges faced by Muay Thai fighters, Pimblett stressed the lifestyle many of them lead.
“Them Thai fighters—some of them start fighting from the age of six, seven, eight, and they’re fighting every week,” Paddy Pimblett explained. “They’re the breadwinners for the family from that age, man. That’s madness.” By the time a Muay Thai fighter is in their late 20s, their career is likely done after hundreds of matches.
Pimblett described a generational cycle in Thailand, where fighters often come from families deeply rooted in Muay Thai tradition. “Because their dad’s been fighting since he was a kid, all the way up into the stadiums, and then he’ll have a kid… You’re just seeing this cycle,” he said.
Another factor Pimblett touched on is the cultural reverence for Muay Thai. “You never see Thai fighters in the UFC, though, do you? That’s because they all do Thai. It’s like an honorable thing in their country as well,” he noted. “There’s so much honor there in fighting Thai, especially fighting in their stadiums in Thailand.”
On the technical side, Pimblett believes the traditional Muay Thai stance doesn’t adapt well to MMA. “The stance doesn’t cross over well. It just invites takedowns, really,” he explained.
Some Thai-based fighters have seen success in the UFC such as Loma Lookboonme and in MMA Stamp Fairtex. Otherwise, Muay Thai-based fighters have found success in MMA but tend to have mixed backgrounds in training such as Anderson Silva, Jose Aldo, and Valentina Shevchenko.
With a professional record of 22-3 and an undefeated streak in the UFC, Pimblett continues to solidify his position as a top contender in the competitive UFC lightweight division. He is a former two-division Cage Warriors champion who has made quite an impact since debuting in the UFC.
