UFC star Molly McCann has praised her friend Paddy Pimblett as the lightweight sensation returns to training camp.

Across the last twelve months, you could argue there hasn’t been a more impactful duo in the Ultimate Fighting Championship than Molly McCann and Paddy Pimblett.

From both securing big finishes at UFC London in March to them replicating that feat in July, you’d have to imagine they’ve both enjoyed the craziest year of their lives.

Throughout that time they’ve also been able to show off their personalities in a big way, to the point whereby a lot of fans will specifically tune in to see them compete - regardless of how stacked the card they’re on happens to be.

Read more: UFC London results: Molly McCann & Paddy Pimblett win but Tom Aspinall loses main event

Pimblett, in particular, is seen as someone who has endless star potential, which he’s showcased thus far with a 3-0 UFC record to his name.

After returning from the United States to begin training once again, Pimblett was praised by his teammate McCann who noted just how dedicated ‘The Baddy’ is to his craft.

Video: Molly McCann applauds Paddy Pimblett

“I think you need to miss this sport to come back and give to the level that me and him do. Even though he’s trained in America, there’s nothing quite like this gym, so I think he’s buzzing to be back.”

“He’s a bit of a freak to be honest because he’ll train for three hours now. It’s his mindset. So, we’ve missed him. The family’s back. It’s just back to business now.”

There’s been no confirmed date for Pimblett’s return just yet, although there is speculation that he could appear on the UFC 282 card in December.

Meatball is back

Molly McCann’s two spinning back elbow wins over Luana Carolina and Hannah Goldy have helped lift the 32-year-old into the top 15 of the flyweight rankings.

She’s still got a ways to go before reaching a title shot but her 6-3 UFC run speaks for itself, as does the fact that she’s been booked to fight at UFC 281 in New York City later this year.

Read more: UFC 281: Fight Card, tickets, date and more

On that night she’ll battle Erin Blanchfield and if she wins convincingly, she’ll take a huge leap forward in the division.

Either way, though, this is someone who has her eyes firmly set on making it to the top, and her newly-found intensity is going to do wonders for those aspirations.