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Paddy Pimblett is the hottest thing going in the UFC today. He only added to the swirling hype around him with a terrific submission victory over Jordan Leavitt at UFC London. This maintained his perfect start to life in the UFC and has led to some even comparing him to megastars like Conor McGregor.
While it might be too soon to suggest he will go that far, his three finishes in the UFC are definitely nothing to be sniffed at. He also has an incredible level of popularity for a fighter so early into his UFC career. With so many eyes on Pimblett, attention is already turning to who he might face next.
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Here are five fights that could be next for Paddy Pimblett:
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#5. Paddy Pimblett vs. Ilia Topuria
Paddy Pimblett and Ilia Topuria had a run-in prior to the first UFC London event this year. They went back-and-forth on social media and then got into a physical altercation at the fighter hotel.
Topuria even called out Pimblett after beating Jai Herbert at that event, so a fight to settle the rivalry could be great.
Both prospects could become huge stars in the division, with Topuria currently sporting an unbeaten record of 12-0. Seeing which of these rivals is ready to start taking on ranked opposition would be incredible and the bout could be big enough to main event the next London event.
However, the potential of these two young stars might be exactly why it doesn’t happen next. With both men appearing to have big futures ahead of them, they might delay putting this fight together and instead continue to build up each man. While this fight should happen one day, it may not be time just yet.
#4. Paddy Pimblett vs. Jared Gordon
The UFC have already paired up these two competitors before so they clearly have some interest in this match-up. Jared Gordon may not be the biggest name in the division, but he has a solid resume and appears to be performing at an appropriate skill level for Paddy Pimblett’s next opponent.
There was also some amusing back-and-forth between the two fighters around the time their match-up was announced and then scrapped. This could be incorporated into the build-up for their fight and it would be fun to see these two interact further.
If Pimblett were to win, he would take another step towards earning a ranking.
However, the fight may have lost momentum as Gordon was defeated last time out in his fight with Grant Dawson. Given Pimblett just defeated Jordan Leavitt, who was on a winning streak, it might seem like somewhat of a backwards step for him to now face a fighter coming off a loss.
#3. Paddy Pimblett vs. Bobby Green
As crazy as it might sound, Bobby Green could conceivably be preparing for a UFC lightweight title fight had he won his last bout against Islam Makhachev. While he wasn’t able to hang with that level of competition, his two fights prior were impressive wins over Al Iaquinta and Nasrat Haqparast.
Those results indicate Green is performing at a level right on the cusp of the ranked fighters at lightweight, which you could argue Pimblett is too. Green is also a lightweight veteran and would be the biggest name Pimblett has faced to date. This could make sense, particularly if the UFC want ‘The Baddy’ in a main event.
If anything, Green might be too tough an opponent for Pimblett at this stage of his career. While it would likely be evenly matched, the UFC are unlikely to want to risk their new rising star suffering a defeat and losing all his momentum.
#2. Paddy Pimblett vs. Jim Miller
Jim Miller is another UFC veteran who could make for a great next opponent for Paddy Pimblett. He has been competing at a high level for years and is currently enjoying a fine run of form with a three-fight win streak. This might make him an appropriate step up in competition for Pimblett.
While you can make the same argument that he might be too risky an opponent for the UFC to be keen on the idea, Miller’s recent opponents are arguably not of the same standard. In truth, it is tough to tell just how high a level the 38-year-old veteran is competing at at this stage of his career.
However, if Pimblett is to eventually progress to becoming a ranked fighter, he will need to be able to defeat this type of opponent. This might be a good time to match him up with Miller whilst he is on such a good run of form. While it may seem an unlikely pairing, this fight would be a good option.
#1. Paddy Pimblett vs. Michael Johnson
Many felt Michael Johnson was unlucky not to pick up a decision in his last fight against Jamie Mullarkey. The controversial nature of that fight may mean the fact he lost doesn't hurt his chances of securing this fight too much. He certainly has an impressive resume and has been there with some of the biggest stars.
Johnson may not currently be competing at the level that saw him KO Dustin Poirier back in 2016 but he has looked good in his last two outings. His fights with big names like Poirier, Nurmagomedov and Gaethje would also create some intrigue regarding how Pimblett's performance could measure up.
Johnson versus Pimblett could be a high-profile bout even when considering the fact that neither fighter is ranked. It is a fight that Pimblett ought to win if he is as good as the fans want him to be and it seems like an appropriate step-up in competition. Perhaps this fight will be next for the surging Scouser.
