Paddy Pimblett is as eager to learn of his next opponent as his fans are, and he sees nothing but compelling options ahead of him.
“The Baddy” began his 2026 campaign with a disappointing loss to Justin Gaethje at UFC 324 in an interim lightweight title fight, but bounced back in impressive fashion at UFC 329, where he needed just 52 seconds to put Benoit Saint Denis to sleep with a Peruvian necktie. With the win, Pimblett affirmed his top 10 spot in the rankings, and is poised for another marquee matchup.
At this past Saturday’s Katie Taylor retirement fight at Croke Park in Dublin, Ireland, Pimblett was in attendance to honor the boxing legend and also to support close friend Molly McCann, who defeated Sylwia Doligala on the preliminary card. Pimblett spoke to Eze Talks Sports, who asked him if he’s still interested in a grudge match with Ilia Topuria.
“I’d love to smash his head in, but we need to wait and see,” Pimblett said.
Pimblett and Topuria have feuded for years, with the fighters being involved in multiple close quarters altercations outside of the cage. The timing hasn’t lined up for them to be booked for an official bout, though Topuria is coming off of a stunning championship loss to Gaethje at UFC White House, and it’s within the realm of possibility that Pimblett is his first opponent following that setback.
However, Pimblett wants it to be clear as far as he knows, there’s no truth to any Topuria rumors.
“Nothing yet,” Pimblett said. “No one spoke to me about it, so we’ll see what happens.”
Coming off of his incredible undisputed lightweight championship victory, Gaethje also awaits his next fight, which is expected to take place in 2027. In his absence, No. 1 contender Arman Tsarukyan faces Mauricio Ruffy at UFC 331 in a potential title eliminator bout, while veteran stars Charles Oliveira and Max Holloway remain in the mix.
If it’s not Topuria, Pimblett hopes to land a top 5 opponent and earn another title opportunity.
“Arman, Gaethje, Ruffy, Charles,” Pimblett said. “There’s loads of names. When I get told who I’m fighting, I’m sure everyone else will know.”
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