Paddy Pimblett reveals disgusting messages he received after opening up about his mental health
Paddy Pimblett continues to champion speaking up when it comes to mental health.
‘The Baddy’ gave an emotional and heartbreaking speech about mental health after his friend committed suicide days before UFC London in July 2022.
Pimblett’s viral interview sparked a surge of calls to mental health charities and one fan even personally thanked him for saving his life when they met.
Ahead of his fight with King Green at UFC 304 on Saturday night, the 29-year-old has bravely opened up about his own struggles that threatened to spoil his upcoming bout.
"About five or six weeks ago my coach was thinking about pulling me out. Mentally I just wasn't there," Pimblett told Sky Sports.
"A few things went wrong, and even a couple of weeks ago a few things personally were getting me down. A bit of depression.
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"I've always got a lot going on. Whenever I start feeling negative and getting down, that's when I get a bit of depression," he said.
"Mentally, that side of things, it's hard. I wasn't in the best place five weeks ago. I actually messaged the place where I go to have a bit of counselling, and messaged the woman I go and see and said: 'Can I come and see you?' Just to have a little chat and feel better.
"I need to share this because other people don't.”
As video clips and quotes from his interview began to circulate online, Pimblett started receiving terrible comments about his mental health.
Some of the responses to it are f****** disgusting," Pimblett said at the UFC 304 media day. "People just saying I’m doing it for PR."
"Why would I invite pressure on myself like that? It’s mad.
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"I know people who have killed themselves and I’ve thought about it in the past.
"I do it because I feel I need to, and I don’t want more people to kill themselves. Especially men, they don’t talk to people and they kill themselves.
"Some of the responses to me saying that, ‘You might as well kill yourself’
Pimblett says people in the comment section tried to shut down the trolls.
He added: "Other people have been saying, ‘No wonder men don’t talk."
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