Terrance McKinney is eyeing a future showdown with Paddy Pimblett to prove who is the UFC's "cash cow".
Pimblett is continuing to grow his reputation in the UFC and has become one of the most recognisable faces on the roster. The Liverpudlian star continued his undefeated record with a controversial win over Jared Gordon in Las Vegas in December, and is expected to return later this year after he has recovered from surgery on his ankle.
The 155lb contender has faced numerous call-outs despite only being in the early stages of his career - including from bitter rival Ilia Topuria. In a fresh call-out, fellow rising star McKinney believes that the pair are on a collision course providing they keep winning fights before the clash is set up.
"I think it just all-round makes sense," McKinney told ESPN MMA when discussing a potential future showdown with Pimblett. "We both got the same amount of fights. We both almost have a 100% finish rate in the UFC. After this win, if I can get another finish, it just makes sense and the winner gets ranked after this. We'll see who's the real cash cow of the UFC. I'll probably have to wait till he's more of my level because as you guys see, I'm ready for a ranked opponent here soon. I think he needs a couple more fights before he's at that level."
McKinney has won three of his first four fights in the UFC and recently bounced back from a loss to Drew Dober with a win over Erick Gonzalez in August last year. The American star will now take on Ismael Bonfim at this Saturday night's UFC 283 pay-per-view bill in Brazil.
Meanwhile Pimblett is going to take a break from action while recovering from injury before continuing his rise later this year. Many had previously tipped the domestic star to compete in the top 10 of the lightweight division within months, but have cooled expectations after his gruelling test against Gordon.
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Pimblett has frequently stated he is in no rush to reach the pinnacle of the sport and is waiting for a fresh deal before pursuing a fight with a top 15 ranked contender. And the 28-year-old believes that he will likely not be champion for another four years while he takes his career step-by-step.
"I'm in no rush," PImblett explained during a recent episode of Pub Talk. "People want me to start fighting people like Michael Chandler and Dustin Poirier now. Do you not know how this sport works? You have to climb the rankings before you start fighting the top five..
"I'm going to be champ in about 2025-26, I'm in no rush. I'm going to climb my way up the ladder and earn a lot of money while I do so. It's prize-fighting, people say 'oh you should be fighting the best,' I want to provide enough money for my fiancee, my unborn children and the rest of my family for the rest of my life, that's what I'm going to do."
