Paddy Pimblett sees two potential options for his UFC return date.
Pimblett (22-3 MMA, 6-0 UFC) entered the UFC’s top 15 lightweight rankings with a first-round submission of King Green at UFC 304 in July. He earned a $200,000 Performance of the Night bonus for his finish.
“The Baddy” has his eyes on Renato Moicano (19-5-1 MMA, 11-5 UFC), who meets Benoit Saint Denis (13-2 MMA, 5-2 UFC) in Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 243 (ESPN+) headliner at Accor Arena in Paris.
Pimblett and Moicano have gone back-and-forth on multiple occasions, and men have expressed interest in fighting each other. Speaking while in attendance for Cage Warriors 178 this past Saturday to support his Next Generation MMA teammates, Pimblett provided an update on what’s next.
“I have no idea at the minute,” Pimblett said in an interview with Cage Warriors. “I think the only card that I could possibly fight on is December again in Vegas, but nothing’s been said at the minute. I know Moicano’s fighting (this) week, can’t see him coming back soon enough for December, so could end up being next year, early next year.”
After competing three times in 2022, Pimblett has only fought twice since then – a lopsided decision win over Tony Ferguson at UFC 296 in December 2023, and the finish of Green in July.