Featured Image Credit: Molly McCann/Instagram & ESPN
Topics: Paddy Pimblett, UFC
The SPORTbible Team
Drake has bagged himself a whopping $1.5 million (£1.2m) after betting on Scouse UFC stars Paddy ‘The Baddy’ Pimblett and ‘Meatball’ Molly McCann. Check out the duo asking for a Rolex watch each below.
The Canadian rapper had a rather hefty wager on the pair at last night’s UFC Fight Night 208 at London's O2 Arena – placing a stake of $2,296,211.30 (£1.9) to win a $3.723,077.00 (£3.1m), meaning he cleared $1.5m (£1.2m).
Drake posted a screenshot of his betting slip with his 117 million Instagram followers, writing: "A scousers parlay @stake."
Speaking after the fight, Pimblett and McCann said the rapper had agreed to buy the pair a couple of Rolex’s as a ‘thank you’ for netting him the small fortune.
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While talking to ESPN, McCann said: "Can I just throw out there to ESPN, Drake… did I say before? … I know, I’m drunk… Drake is buying me and Paddy a new Rollie each."
Before Pimblett cut in to say: "We’ve just been messaging on Instagram and he’s, like, ‘yeah, you’re getting a Rolex each for that’."
It was a night of celebrations for the pair, with McCann securing a first round win against American opponent Hannah Goldy and Pimblett forcing opponent Jordan Leavitt to tap out in the second round.
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After his win, Pimblett gave a heart-felt speech, dedicating part of his win to Lee-Joshua Hodgson – a four-year-old boy who passed away after battling a rare form of cancer called metastatic rhabdomyosarcoma alveolar (ARMS).
He said: "I want to dedicate this fight to little baby Lee.
"He's a little warrior. More of a fighter than any of us will ever be."
Pimblett also took the opportunity to raise awareness about men's mental health in light of a close friend of his having recently passed away.
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He urged men to speak out if they felt they needed to, telling the packed out stadium: "I woke up on Friday morning at 4am to a message that one of my friends, back home, had [died]. This was five hours before my weigh-in. So Ricky lad, that's for you.
"Listen, if you're a man and you've got weight on your shoulders, and you think the only way you can solve it is by [suicide], please speak to someone, speak to anyone. People would rather... I know I'd rather my mate cry on my shoulder than go to his funeral next week.
"So, please, let's get rid of this stigma and MEN, START TALKING!"
Words by Claire Reid