"Cartoon Paddy!", "You letting us down" - Fans share mixed reactions to Paddy Pimblett’s Studio Ghibli-style animated photos

By Caleb Gebrewold

Modified Apr 02, 2025 00:20 GMT

Paddy Pimblett shares AI photos [Image credits: @theufcbaddy/Instagram] — Paddy Pimblett shares AI photos [Image courtesy: @theufcbaddy on Instagram]

Paddy Pimblett's biggest win of his mixed martial arts career came in his last trip to the octagon. At UFC 304, 'The Baddy' defeated Bobby 'King' Green via first-round submission in July last year to enter the lightweight rankings for the first time. He is set to return later this month as he faces Michael Chandler in a five-round co-main event of UFC 314.

The No.12-ranked lightweight shared photos of himself on Instagram, using the recently viral Studio Ghibli animation. Pimblett shared several animated pictures, with the caption:

"Did I do this right? 🤣"

Check out the Instagram post from Paddy Pimblett below:

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Fans shared their reactions to the post. @bkirk_xc enjoyed the cartoon version of Pimblett:

"Cartoon Paddy! That’s funny as s**t! @theufcbaddy"

@enesmatranga was not a fan of the AI-generated images:

"Paddy cmon you letting us down"

@chris.xouliarhs expressed a similar reaction:

"Hey Paddy, love you dude but this straight up punches studio Ghibli in the gut, and us artists alike"

@phantom_j00 believes that most of the fans calling out Pimblett's post are hypocrites:

"Most ppl here saying support artist, when they're quick to take a pic of a real artist's work and not pay for it 😂"

Check out more fan reactions below:

Paddy Pimblett shares tribute to Molly McCann following her retirement

Molly McCann suffered a first-round submission loss to Alexia Thainara at UFC Fight Night 255, marking her fourth loss in her past five fights. After the bout, 'Meatball' announced her decision to retire from mixed martial arts.

Paddy Pimblett took to Instagram afterward to share a message of support for his close friend, stating:

"Heartbreaking night last night watching my big sister retire. Been there with her from the start and will always be there this may be the end of her fighting career but it’s far from the end of mine and her friendship. That’s till death do us part ❤️ UKMMA women’s legend first English woman to get a win in the UFC and has one of the best knockouts in women’s UFC and combat sports history."

Check out Paddy Pimblett's Instagram post on Molly McCann's retirement below:

Pimblett added that McCann's legacy as a fighter will continue to live while describing the night as emotional. 'Meatball' retired with a 14-8 career record, however, she was just 7-7 since joining the UFC in 2018.

About the author

Caleb has been a sports writer for around five years and has plied his trade at Sportskeeda for the last two. Alongside being an MMA writer for the organization, he reports on boxing, college football, college basketball, and college baseball, and has also covered world-renowned leagues like the NBA and NFL. He has previously worked with FanSided Sports.

Caleb holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Mass Communication and Journalism from Purdue University, which now helps him to provide accurate information to his readers with a personalized touch. Being an MMA fan since childhood, Caleb’s Mt. Rushmore of fighters consists of Jon Jones, Demetrious Johnson, Georges St-Pierre, and Anderson Silva.

While writing an article, Caleb keeps clear of unreliable sources. His research process includes gaining the maximum knowledge on the topic through credible websites like UFC, ESPN, and Sherdog.

Outside of work, Caleb likes watching and playing sports.

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Edited by Jigyanshushri Mahanta