“Anyone in the top 4, top 5. I want that world title. Laugh all you want and say I’ll never be champ! Just like you’ve said I’ll never get ranked. I’ll never be in the top 10. But what now? You gang of mushrooms!” Paddy Pimblett sounded off and shook the entire arena with his fiery post-UFC 314 interview with Joe Rogan. The Liverpudlian now has his sights beyond the top five as he targets nothing but the lightweight gold. ‘The Baddy’ knows what’s ahead, so he called out three of the biggest sharks circling the ultimate prize! Justin Gaethje, Charles Oliveira, and Arman Tsarukyan.
Moreover, the Englishman knows exactly who stands in his way before a title shot. In his eyes, it’s none other than ‘Do Bronx.’ He wants the toughest challenge before facing the final boss Islam Makhachev, who many believe will stay the champion. Pimblett sees a win over the legendary Brazilian as a massive step forward and knows that beating Oliveira would skyrocket his stock. It’s a risk, but he’s ready to take it! However, former UFC heavyweight Brendan Schaub sees it differently. ‘Big Brown’ believes Pimblett is the future face of the company and he also provided Dana White with a perfect plan to protect their future star from any predicament.
Schaub took to his Thiccc Boy Podcast and explained, “If I’m the UFC, this is what we wanna do. We want Paddy to get enough credibility to fight for the title. We can’t jump right to Topuria, it’s not happening and we can’t jump right to Islam. It doesn’t make sense that he has beat Chandler. What you’d do, you’d look Charles Oliveira. It’s a tough fight, but he could do it. He beat Chandler worse than Charles did that’s a great fight. If he beats him, definitely a title shot right? But, still risky! We need to protect this kid! You’d do Justin Gaethje, Paddy Pimblett.”
‘Big Brown’ added, “Poirier is a tough one, Charles Oliveira is a tough one. Can Paddy Beat them? Yeah, he can. It’s tough man, he’d be the underdog in both of those. But, the one guy there with a huge hole in this game is Justin Gaethje. He is coming off a win, and he beat Justin Gaethje. No one’s gonna complain if he gets a title shot. That’s what I would do. You protect the golden goose.”
UFC 314 – Volkanovski vs Lopes MIAMI, FL – APRIL 12: Michael Chandler and Paddy Pimblett meet in the octagon for a 3-round bout at UFC 314 – Volkanovski vs Lopes at Kesaya Center on April 12, 2025 in Miami, FL Photo by Louis Grasse/PxImages Miami, FL Kesaya Center MIAMI, FL United States Copyright: xLouisxGrassex
Schaub isn’t wrong to say Justin Gaethje could be an easier matchup for Paddy Pimblett. ‘The Highlight’ has often struggled against strong grapplers. Even Rafael Fiziev caused him problems in the first round at UFC 286. Still, Gaethje’s win over Fiziev at UFC 313 may have pushed him closer to a title shot. That means the Englishman might need to face a different contender.
Either way, whoever Paddy fights next will be a big-name opponent. The Brit now has the confidence to take on tougher challenges. He doesn’t back down, no matter how tough the test. Since entering the top rankings, every fight will be a step up in competition. The road only gets harder from here!
Paddy Pimblett joins the top 10 rankings club
Finally, Paddy Pimblett gets to call himself a true contender. He has dropped the ‘prospect’ label and stepped into the shark tank of UFC’s lightweight elite. After a dominant win over Michael Chandler at UFC 314, Pimblett now holds the No. 8 spot in the rankings. The victory pushed him up four places, while Chandler slipped to No. 12. This moment marks a major milestone in Pimblett’s journey. The Liverpudlian no longer relies on hype or viral moments. ‘The Baddy’ has proved he can hang with the best and his updated ranking puts him in line for big-name fights.
Paddy Pimblett has already made his callouts. Now, all eyes are on who takes the bait. Whether it’s Oliveira, Gaethje, or Tsarukyan, the stakes couldn’t be higher. The UFC appears set to return to Abu Dhabi in September or October. Pimblett is likely to feature on that card. The timing, the hype, and the location all point to a blockbuster matchup.
With his surging star power and fresh top-10 ranking, ‘The Baddy’ stands in the strongest position of his career. Fans now wait to see who steps up—and what move the Brit makes next. What do you think of Brendan Schaub’s take? Please comment below!
The post Dana White Handed the Perfect Plan for Paddy Pimblett’s Next Fight to Protect UFC’s ‘Golden Goose’ appeared first on EssentiallySports.