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Paddy Pimblett Rumored for December Fight vs. Ilia Topuria

2026-09-01 · Paddy Pimblett · Player Focus

Paddy Pimblett is being linked to a massive December showdown with bitter rival Ilia Topuria, according to rumors highlighted by UFC star Sean O'Malley. The potential fight, speculated for a Las Vegas card, has ignited debate across the lightweight division about who deserves the next title shot.

Is a Topuria vs. Pimblett fight actually happening?

Coach Tim Welch said he heard "rumblings" about the UFC scheduling Topuria versus Pimblett for December. Sean O'Malley called it a massive fight and gave his prediction. "Right now, I’d probably lean towards Paddy," O'Malley said, citing Pimblett's size and confidence but noting Topuria's unknown mental state after his June loss to Justin Gaethje.

Rival lightweight Arman Tsarukyan doubts the promotion will make the fight next. He believes the UFC wants to protect both stars from another loss. "They don’t want Paddy to lose. They don’t want Ilia to lose again, so they are gonna give Ilia someone easy," Tsarukyan said on the Deep Waters podcast. He suggested the UFC might instead give Pimblett an easier matchup to position him for another title shot.

Will Pimblett get an immediate title rematch?

Veteran Dan Hooker thinks the UFC will slide Pimblett directly into a championship rematch with Justin Gaethje. Pimblett lost a unanimous decision to Gaethje at UFC 324 in January but rebounded with his win over Saint Denis. "He's the champ, he can do whatever he wants," Hooker told Submission Radio. "For sure they're just sliding Paddy Pimblett into a title fight."

This conflicts with the promised title shot for the winner of the UFC 331 co-main event on September 19 between Arman Tsarukyan and Mauricio Ruffy.

How did Pimblett react to an AI breakdown of his weaknesses?

In a lighter moment, Pimblett reacted to an AI-generated video explaining how to knock him out in a UFC fight. The Bleacher Report video, released on August 27, presented five methods. The 31-year-old fighter, who holds a 24-4 professional record, agreed and disagreed with multiple options presented by the artificial intelligence.

What was the safety breach punishment about?

Pimblett and former featherweight champion Max Holloway were recently punished for a UFC safety breach. Details in the source were limited, but the report confirms both athletes faced disciplinary action from the promotion for an unspecified violation of safety protocols.

  • Fight Rumors: Pimblett is rumored to face Ilia Topuria in a high-profile December bout in Las Vegas.
  • Title Shot Debate: Dan Hooker predicts Pimblett gets the next lightweight title shot, while Arman Tsarukyan expects the UFC to give him an easier fight first.
  • Recent Form: Pimblett is coming off a first-round submission victory over Benoît Saint Denis at UFC 329.
  • Record: The Liverpool fighter maintains a professional MMA record of 24 wins and 4 losses.

More Paddy Pimblett news →