“I think one day he will be a champion. If he doesn’t become champion, it’ll be one of those cases where a really good fighter just never got there.” Demetrious Johnson couldn’t stop praising Paddy Pimblett’s attributes on his YouTube channel ahead of UFC 314, where ‘The Baddy’ faced Michael Chandler. It’s no secret that the Liverpudlian has built a loyal fanbase through his pre-fight antics, brash personality, and undeniable skills. But the big question remains — will he be the next British UFC champion?
Pimblett solidified himself as a top lightweight contender with a stunning third-round TKO over a veteran like Michael Chandler at UFC 314. That performance proved there’s a fierce competitor behind all the laughs he’s known for before fight night. Still, critics were quick to dismiss it, branding Chandler a “washed” opponent. Things got even spicier when Arman Tsarukyan pointed out on The Overdogs Podcast that Paddy’s last three opponents had a combined record of 0-13 (Michael Chandler, Tony Ferguson, and King Green). He didn’t stop there! Tsarukyan went on to X and wrote, “Daddy Dana fed you a couple of senior citizens to build your hype.”
Well, Tsarukyan landed a verbal jab by claiming that Paddy Pimblett enjoys the infamous “Dana White privilege,” hinting his fights have been carefully cherry-picked against seemingly older opponents. But ‘Akhalkalakets’ wasn’t the only one aiming ‘The Baddy.’ Michael Bisping also picked the perfect moment to share his thoughts on his fellow Englishman’s UFC championship dreams.
When a fan asked Bisping on X, “Who will be the next British UFC champion?” the former middleweight king replied, “If Lerone beats Pico, he’s in with a good chance.” ‘The Count’ didn’t outright dismiss Paddy, but his answer hinted at something! Bisping surprisingly sees Lerone potentially wearing gold before Pimblett. So, why is the former 185lbs kingpin thinking along these lines? Perhaps it’s because ‘The Baddy’ still doesn’t have a credible top-five win on his resume, and he’ll need one before getting anywhere near a title shot. Also, this isn’t the first time Bisping has shown doubt over the Liverpudlian’s chances.
If Lerone beats Pico, he’s in with a good chance. https://t.co/9qS3RAVRaT
— michael (@bisping) August 11, 2025
He previously addressed the topic on his YouTube channel, speaking about Ilia Topuria and Paddy Pimblett’s viral face-off at UFC 317. Bisping remarked, “The man’s a finishing machine. Can Paddy take those kinds of shots? I don’t know. Can Paddy take him down? I don’t know.” The doubts are clearly looming over Paddy, and they’re not fading anytime soon! Now, another former champion has voiced similar concerns, suggesting the 30-year-old lightweight contender shouldn’t be next in line to face Topuria. So, let’s dive into that as well.
Kamaru Usman believes Paddy Pimblett shouldn’t be in the lightweight title conversation
The lightweight title picture is as confusing as ever, with three contenders lined up for their shot at gold. Justin Gaethje has already made it clear, he’ll either fight for the belt next or walk away from the sport. Paddy Pimblett gets some buzz thanks to his rivalry with the reigning champion, but Arman Tsarukyan appears to be the consensus choice, holding the #1 spot in the 155 lbs rankings. And former welterweight champ Kamaru Usman seems to agree.
‘The Nigerian Nightmare’ said during the Pound for Pound podcast, “It’s not Paddy’s fault. Paddy has done a great job with the opposition he’s been given to even put himself in this conversation—Paddy’s done a phenomenal job. But if we look at the lightweight rankings, you’ve got Ilia Topuria, and I’m assuming next you’ve got Arman Tsarukyan.” His point: skipping all those names could undermine the division’s meritocracy.
Meanwhile, fan sentiment is wildly split. On X, one trending thread hailed Pimblett’s Chandler win as proof he belongs in the top five. Over on Reddit’s r/MMA, a popular post broke down his opponents’ ages and records to challenge whether his resume is deep enough.
The former 170 lbs king went on to say, “If you’re not going to do Arman Tsarukyan or you’re not going to do Justin Gaethje, you’ve got Dan Hooker there, Mateusz Gamrot, Beneil Dariush in front of Paddy Pimblett.” His message was clear, jumping over all these names to give Paddy the shot could hurt the merit of the division. As time goes on, the intrigue in the lightweight race will only grow, and fans are waiting to see how the UFC chooses to untangle this logjam.
So, with that decision still up in the air, who do you think should get the UFC lightweight title shot next? Does Paddy deserve it, or should it go to someone else? Share your thoughts below!
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