Paddy ‘the Baddy’ Pimblett has arrived on the BBC’s Sports activities Character of the 12 months purple carpet sporting denims and a gilet alongside his glamorous childhood sweetheart.
The rising UFC star sported his standard boyish blond fringe and grinned alongside fiancee Laura Gregory, who wowed in a plunging black minidress.
The couple are attending the occasion as spectators – Pimblett, 27, has not been nominated for an award.
Pimblett instructed reporters on the carpet he is at present nursing an damage, which can stop him from competing once more as quickly as he in any other case would have appreciated.
‘I’ve had a superb yr. I hoped to struggle early in 2023 however I am ready for the outcomes on an ankle damage which I’ll get on Thursday,’ he mentioned.
Paddy ‘the Baddy’ Pimblett has arrived on the BBC’s Sports activities Character of the 12 months purple carpet sporting denims and a gilet alongside his glamorous childhood sweetheart
The rising UFC star sported his standard boyish blond fringe and grinned alongside fiancee Laura Gregory, who appeared glamorous in a plunging black minidress
However Pimblett’s star has been on the rise after he lately gained his fourth struggle within the UFC to take care of an ideal document.
Many fighters and followers felt American Jared Gordon ought to have been given the nod from the judges, who unanimously awarded Pimblett the win.
After posing for pictures on the purple carpet, Ms Gregory shared a single snap from contained in the venue, which was nonetheless close to empty forward of the principle occasion tonight.
Lionel Messi will likely be topped World Sport Star of the 12 months after main his nation to its first World Cup triumph in 36 years.
Voting for the prized Sports activities Character of the 12 months will kick off all through the awards present and will likely be offered by Gary Lineker, Clare Balding, Gabby Logan and Alex Scott.
The couple obtained engaged within the Phi Phi Islands in Thailand, simply earlier than lockdown restrictions got here into impact in February 2020, earlier than transferring into their ‘excellent house’ later that yr
Dubbed the brand new Conor McGregor, ‘Paddy the Baddy’ made headlines by choosing up his fourth consecutive win within the ring, this time over American Jared Gordon in Las Vegas
Nominees are gymnast Jessica Gadirova, bootballer Beth Mead, cricketer Ben Stokes, snooker participant Ronnie O’Sullivan, athlete Jake Wightman and curling’s Eve Muirhead.
Eight-time Olympic gold medallist Usain Bolt will likely be recognised with the Lifetime Achievement Award.
Different classes up for consideration embody the staff of the yr, coach of the yr, unsung hero and younger Sports activities Character of the 12 months.
In 2021, Emma Raducanu was topped Sports activities Character of the 12 months after her fairytale end on the US Open in simply her second Grand Slam outing.
Different stars who’ve already arrived on the purple carpet embody Fred Sirieix’s daughter Andrea Spendolini-Sirieix, Lioness Beth Mead and Arsenal teammate Vivianne Miedema and England cricket star Sam Curran.
He first obtained into MMA on the age of 15, a yr earlier than he began courting Ms Gregory, his childhood sweetheart
After posing for pictures on the purple carpet, Ms Gregory (pictured) shared a selfie and a single snap from contained in the venue, which was nonetheless close to empty forward of the principle occasion tonight
Pimblett has his sights set on a good greater 2023, and is hellbent on someday eclipsing Conor McGregor’s achievements in blended martial arts.
He insists he’ll ‘be a billionaire ultimately’ and has made a promise to assist kids in his metropolis who depend on foodbanks.
Earlier this month, Pimblett established The Baddy Basis, which he hopes will ‘assist feed children who’re struggling to be fed and to assist males with psychological well being points’.
He grew to become an outspoken advocate for males’s psychological heath following the tragic loss of life of his good friend to suicide earlier this yr.
He hopes to ‘lastly break this stigma that I have been speaking about lately and assist stop so many suicides which is such an epidemic on the minute’.
He instructed the Guardian earlier this yr: ‘I see myself being greater than that, as a result of the game has developed much more than when Conor made it mainstream. He had twentysomething lads following him the place I am getting children from the age of 5.
‘Youngsters take a look at McGregor and see an enormous, laborious fella with a great deal of tattoos. Youngsters have gotten lengthy, floppy hair, they have not obtained tattoos. They will determine with me.’
Pimblett grew up in Huyton, Merseyside, attending St Margaret Mary’s Main college and Cardinal Heenan Catholic Highschool.
He first obtained into MMA on the age of 15, a yr earlier than he began courting Ms Gregory, his childhood sweetheart.
The couple obtained engaged within the Phi Phi Islands in Thailand simply earlier than lockdown restrictions got here into impact in February 2020, earlier than transferring into their ‘excellent house’ later that yr.
