​Paddy Pimblett entered UFC 329 facing a formidable challenge. He had to rebound from a brutal defeat to Justin Gaethje in January and then halt lightweights power player Benoit Saint-Denis, who had been riding a strong hot streak. Yet, despite the odds stacked against him, “The Baddy” delivered an impressive submission victory over the Frenchman in under a minute on Saturday night. The win pushes Pimblett back into the 155-pound title picture and sets up another major fight for his return to the Octagon, potentially later this year. With that in mind, here are five opponent options for Pimblett’s next UFC bout.
IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect Before Ilia Topuria relinquished the lightweight belt in June, the Georgian native was open to the idea of facing Pimblett in his first title defense. After a devastating loss at UFC Freedom 250, the two-division champion will be seeking a pivotal win to propel him back into a title shot. The winner of a matchup between the pair would have a strong case as the No. 1 contender at lightweight.
Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports After dropping two of his last three, former division king Charles Oliveira has momentum on his side with back-to-back victories, including a dominant win over Max Holloway in March. Three years ago, a bout with Pimblett might have seemed unfair, but at 36, the Englishman could still pull off a career-defining upset in a fight that could headline a UFC Fight Night.
IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect After Conor McGregor tore his ACL in the opening seconds of their bout on Saturday night, Holloway cruised through the main event of UFC 329. He could be ready to roll into a new booking in a few months. The same could apply to Pimblett after a quick win, as well. A clash between the two could easily fill a Fight Night card at the O2 Arena later this year.
USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect If Pimblett is open to entertaining bouts against top-10 competition toward the tail end of the rankings, a meeting with Renato Moicano makes sense. On paper, they match up well, and the buildup would be entertaining, drawing attention and filling seats. Moicano would relish a chance to face the English star. The big question is whether “The Baddy” would take the risk.
IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect Another risky but potentially blockbuster option would be a fight against fast-rising lightweight Mauricio Ruiz. The Brazilian is 5-1 inside the Octagon and delivered a dominant performance over Michael Chandler last month at UFC Freedom 250. They represent the now and the future of the division, and a matchup between them could lay the groundwork for more big battles down the line.