Jason Burgos
Paddy Pimblett entered UFC 329 with a tall task in front of him. He needed to bounce back from a violent loss to Justin Gaethje in January and then stop lightweight powerhouse Benoit Saint-Denis in the midst of a serious hot streak. Yet, despite the odds being against him, “The Baddy” scored an impressive submission win over the Frenchman in less than a minute on Saturday night.
The victory thrusts Pimblett right back into the title picture at 155 pounds and sets up another big fight for his return to the Octagon, possibly later this year. With that in mind, let’s look at five opponent options for Pimblett’s next UFC fight.
Ilia Topuria
Before Ilia Topuria dropped the lightweight belt in June, the native of Georgia was open to the idea of Pimblett being his opponent in his first defense. Following a devastating loss at UFC Freedom 250, the two-division champion will be looking for a pivotal victory to catapult him back into a title fight. The winner of a bout between the pair would have a case as the No. 1 contender at lightweight.
Charles Oliveira
After losing two of three, former division king Charles Oliveria has some momentum behind him after back-to-back victories. Including a dominant win over Max Holloway in March. Three years ago, the Brazilian would have been too much for Pimblett. However, at 36, the Englishman would have a real chance to score a career-defining victory in a bout that could be a UFC Fight Night headliner.
Max Holloway
After Conor McGregor blew out his knee in the opening seconds of their bout on Saturday night, Holloway barely broke a sweat in the main event of UFC 329. He could jump into a new booking in a few months. The same could be said of Pimblett after a quick win as well. A bout between the two could easily sell out a Fight Night card inside the O2 Arena later this year.
Renato Moicano
If Pimblett is open to fun matchups against competition in the back half of the top-10, a clash with Renato Moicano makes sense. On paper, they match up well. Plus, the build to the bout would be a ton of fun and help put buts in seats. Moicano would relish a chance to face the English superstar. The big question is, would “The Baddy” accept the risk?
Mauricio Ruffy
Another risky bout that could be a fantastic Fight Night or main card bout on a numbered card would be a fight against fast-rising lightweight star Mauricio Ruffy. The Brazilian is 5-1 inside the Octagon and scored a dominant win over Michael Chandler last month at UFC Freedom 250. They are the now and future of the division and a matchup could set up more down the road.
