The BaddyPaddy Pimblett, 2025 would end with a huge fight. Coming into the year, he went on a six-fight winning run and started to silence the doubters. This was only reinforced when he faced Ilia Topuria, the newly crowned lightweight champion, following the Spaniard’s victory.
After all, the two men have a history. In 2021, Pimblett tweeted Georgian Guram Kutateladze (and tagged Topuria) saying:
“Boy, how stupid are these Georgians (laughing emojis), no wonder the Russians are terrorizing their lives (laughing emojis)”.
At UFC London 2022, the two men boarded at the fighter’s hotel, where Topuria threw a bottle of hand sanitizer at the Brit. They also got into a verbal exchange during the UFC 282 press conference, despite not being scheduled against each other.
The two men are box office partners together and would have made for logical dance partners to either end the current UFC PPV model or open the new Paramount era. However, it looks like this won’t be the case.
Current lightweight situation
The current situation with lightweight seems to have been mapped out. 
It looks like Topuria vs. Pimblett won’t happen next, but it will be #5 ranked Justin Gaethje who gets the chance. Controversial for sure, as Gaethje has just one win, against #10 Rafael Fiziev in a rematch, a man who is coming off back-to-back defeats and an injury. It will also be Gaethje’s third title opportunity.
#1 Islam Makhachev will move up in weight to compete against Jack Della Maddalena.
No. 2-ranked Arman Tsarukyan is the most inactive fighter on the current UFC roster, but is scheduled to face #7 Dan Hooker at UFC Qatar in November.
Former champion Charles Oliveira called Max Holloway after him his dominant win in Rio this past weekend. It seems like Holloway is excited and we can expect the BMF belt to be on the line when the two inevitably meet next year.
#9 Beneil Daruish will meet Benoit Saint Denis in New York next month.
Where’s Paddy Pimblett?
Paddy Pimblett is currently ranked sixth and has no fight or rumored opponent. There were rumors of a fight between him and Justin Gaethje, but those rumors have disappeared The highlight I just want to fight for the belt.
The only two people in the top 10 that Pimblett could face who are not currently booked or rumored to be booked soon are Mateusz Gamrot and Rafael Fiziev. Gamrot suffered a convincing defeat to Oliveira last weekend and Fiziev, despite it being a dangerous match, is injured and is significantly lower in the rankings than Pimblett. The risk/reward for Pimblett in facing Fiziev simply isn’t worth it.
A good fight for Paddy Pimblett would be the winner of Hooker and Tsarukyan. A win over either man would shoot him straight into the title picture and if neither man takes too much damage, there’s a chance we could see a No. 1 between Pimblett and Hooker or Tsarukyan headlining London in March.
Whatever happens, Paddy Pimblett has to stay relevant, and the only way he’s going to do that is through big fights. He can’t lose the momentum he’s built.
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