I’m a UFC fighter and dad of twins. Having a family makes my career harder.

• Paddy Pimblett is a UFC fighter and the dad of 2-year-old identical twins.
• He tries to have breakfast with his daughters even during weeks of intensive training.
• After fights, he goes on vacation with family to make up for time he missed.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Paddy Pimblett. It has been edited for length and clarity.

Straight away, when my wife Laura got pregnant, I said, “We’re gonna have twins.” Her mom and my dad are both twins. I was right, but it turns out our girls are identical, so there’s no genetic component. Still, I wouldn’t be surprised if we have more twins. Laura says I’m speaking it into existence.

Starting off with twins, not having one baby first, was probably a good thing. We didn’t know anything else. There were times it was really hard, with night feedings for two. Betsy and Margot turned 2 in April, and now it’s easier because they play together. They’re hilarious. There’s not a day that goes by that they don’t put a smile on my face.

I see my dad most days

I learned how to be a father from my dad. He’s my hero, and we’ve always been extremely close. People assume that the mom is the more emotional and caring parent, but in my family, it’s the dad.

Even today, my dad brings me to the gym every morning and picks me up most afternoons. When I’m in the US for fights, I know I could call him at any minute, and he’d hop on a plane from our home in England. He’s always been there for me, and that’s how I want to be for my kids.

This career is easier without a family

Sometimes, my schedule makes that difficult. For 10 weeks before I fight, I train all day, every day. My life is incredibly regimented, right down to what I eat. I can’t just enjoy afternoon tea with Laura and the girls.

Even on those days, I try to see my daughters as much as I can. I have breakfast with them in the morning, because when I get home from training, I’m sometimes so tired I can’t move. Being a fighter is definitely easier if you don’t have a family. Having kids is the best thing in the world, but they consume so much of your time, without you even realizing.

After every fight, we go on a family holiday to make up for the time I’ve missed with them. We’ve gone to Oman, the Maldives, and Tenerife. After my next fight, we’re going to Spain for eight days.

Success is having a happy, healthy family

There are two sides to success for me. I want to be a UFC champion. That’s the ultimate goal for my career, and I think I’ll be fighting another five or six years to get there.

On the other side, there’s having a happy and healthy family. In the long term, that will bring me more happiness than any championship.

My finances have been significantly impacted by fighting on the biggest stage in the world. I have financial freedom now. I don’t have to fight again if I don’t want to. But I love it: punching and being punched. I have a goal, and I want to achieve it.

After that, I’m putting my feet up. I’ll probably have a few more kids by then, and I’ll be able to enjoy spending time with them. But I’ll also be teaching them how to fight. Whether I have boys or girls, I want them to know how to defend themselves.