Paddy 'The Baddy' Pimblett is finally making his UFC debut this weekend.

The Liverpudlian lightweight (16-3) will face off against Luigi Vendramini (9-2) in Las Vegas as part of a card that features Darren Till, Molly McCann and Tom Aspinall.

Pimblett has finally arrived in UFC

Ahead of his debut, Pimblett received a message of support from none other than Conor McGregor.

He wrote on Twitter: "Good luck Paddy, I was outside your gaff all hours with your man with long hair thats doing 30 year now [sic] forget his name."

Ahead of his debut, Pimblett told talkSPORT about landing in the UFC's lightweight division, the 'golden age' of MMA in England right now and, of course, McGregor.

"It's the first time he's ever reached out to be honest," Pimblett started. "I remember years and years ago when I had my Cage Warriors debut and he was there cornering someone from his gym, but it was before he'd even had his UFC debut, I believe his debut was coming up. So yeah, that's the first time we've had a correspondence.

McGregor is the first UFC fighter in history to hold two belts simultaneously

"He changed the game and I'm coming to do exactly the same."

Pimblett, 26, had great success at featherweight in Cage Warriors and with his submission victory last time out, it was finally time to try his hand at the big leagues.

"I won my last fight in emphatic fashion and Graham [Boylan, Cage Warriors Owner] called me on the Monday morning and said the contract is there. 

"I signed it obviously and I thought I was going to have my debut earlier this year and I've waited six months, but obviously it doesn't matter when it is because I'm coming to take over."

Vendramini wasn't the first name suggested by UFC, but it wouldn't have mattered if he was.

"It doesn't matter who it is, lad," Pimblett said of his opponent. "To be honest, that was the fourth different name they put in front of me. 

"I had three names before that, thought I was fighting other people before that and then that name got put to me and I said 'Yeah, sound. Send me the contract.' Doesn't matter who it is that gets put in front of me, I'm never going to shy away."

This card would have ideally taken place in England, but instead, four of England's and Liverpool's brightest talents will showcase themselves in Las Vegas.

Paddy Pimblett is in great shape for his debut

Pimblett, like Molly McCann, believes this is a golden age for UK MMA.

"It is, of course," he added. "Got the likes of Arnold Allen, Leon Edwards and people like that who are in the rankings and pushing. 

"Then, obviously, you've got [Darren] Till, Molly [McCann], myself, [Tom] Aspinall and you've even got the Welsh and Scottish lads coming through too. Everyone is coming, lad. It's going to be heavy. "

Aspinall trains alongside Darren Till and Mike Grundy at team Kaobon under coach Colin Heron

Pimblett recently made the news for scoffing at the idea that Khabib Nurmagomeov - former McGregor foe - was the greatest UFC fighter of all-time.

In The Baddy's mind, there's a clear winner in that discussion.

"I don't know how you can't say it's Jon Jones. How many title fights has he won, 15? Something ridiculous like that. 

Jones is one of the most successful mixed martial artists ever

"To be the GOAT, you've got to have longevity. Jon Jones has more title defences than Khabib has UFC fights," Pimblett simply surmised.

Throwing Pimblett into the lightweight division is sure to bring fireworks and it's a weight class in UFC that isn't short of star power and exciting fighters.

Pimblett believes it's the most stacked division UFC has to offer and admits he contemplated starting his journey at featherweight, but he would have put himself in serious danger if he had.

"The lightweight division is the most stacked division in the UFC. I'm happy to be getting in there with them. I was looking at going down to featherweight but I'm too big for it now, I'd be seriously harming myself. 

Pimblett is one of many exciting English fighters in UFC currently and the list keeps growing

"So lightweight it is; it's more of a challenge and I've never shied away from a challenge. I think I'll climb the rankings pretty quick anyway.

"I love my food too much [for featherweight], I balloon up in between fights! That's why I've got no cheeks at the minute [laughs]."

Catch UFC FIGHT NIGHT®: BRUNSON vs. TILL at Prime Time on Saturday night with the main card live from 9.00pm on BT Sport 2, with the early prelims live exclusively on Fight Pass from 6.30pm.