​There are a number of compelling and fresh matchups available at the top of the UFC lightweight division, and it will likely all hinge on Justin Gaethje’s retirement decision.After upsetting Ilia Topuria (17-1 MMA, 9-1 UFC) to claim 155-pound gold at UFC Freedom 250 in June, Gaethje (28-5 MMA, 11-5 UFC) has flip-flopped on the idea of walking away from the sport on a high. After initially stating retirement didn’t feel right, Gaethje more recently stated his future is still in limbo.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementGaethje made it clear that he would be interested in facing Conor McGregor had he won at UFC 329, but with the Irishman suffering an early injury and TKO defeat to Max Holloway (28-9 MMA, 24-9 UFC), that option is now off the table.Where does that leave things? Holloway, Charles Oliveira (37-11 MMA, 25-11 UFC) and Arman Tsarukyan (23-3 MMA, 10-2 UFC) are all in position to be granted a title shot if Gaethje stays. If he goes, though, then longtime UFC analyst Chael Sonnen believes that opens up the entire deck for UFC to play with and Paddy Pimblett in the mix.And in his mind, there’s a most desirable pairing.”If Justin Gaethje retires and we get two guys to fight for a title, I do think Max is likely – and has a very strong case – to be one of those guys,” Sonnen told MMA Junkie. “Max vs. Ilia would be great. Paddy vs. Ilia happens to work out right now. Max vs. Arman Tsarukyan would be great. Paddy vs. Tsarukyan would work out right now. But when you start to do the math, there is this outside idea nobody has brought up yet: Paddy vs. Max.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement”What are they fighting for? Is that the one to do a for (a vacant) title? It’s going to be very hard to carve out Arman Tsarukyan right now. But Arman will let you know he just wants to fight. He would like a belt, but there doesn’t have to be. Just get him an opponent. There is actually a pretty realistic way to get Max vs. Paddy and to get it next.”Just prior to Holloway getting his hand raised in anticlimactic fashion, the co-main event of UFC 329 saw Pimblett (24-4 MMA, 8-1 UFC) steal the show with an incredible 52-second technical submission of Benoit Saint Denis. It was a huge bounce-back moment for “The Baddy,” who fell short of interim gold in a thrilling bout vs. Gaethje in January.The performance against Saint Denis was further validation that Pimblett is a legit contender at 155 pounds, and Sonnen would have no objection if he was a key part of the process in pushing the weight class to its next stage.”Paddy is a very dangerous guy,” Sonnen said. “I remember the days Paddy was just a young kid with good mic skills and a weird haircut. … Paddy really is special. There’s nothing that says to me he can’t be a world champion at the toughest weight class in the sport.”This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Max Holloway vs. Paddy Pimblett ‘realistic’ after UFC 329 wins, says analyst