Three Fights Paddy Pimblett Should Take Next at Lightweight

Paddy Pimblett sits just inside the lightweight top ten after his July finish at UFC 329, a milestone that puts him on the radar of the division's elite. But the real question is whether the Liverpool native can evolve from submission specialist and fan favorite into a legitimate title threat. The next opponent will answer that. Here are three fights that make sense, ranked by urgency and upside.

1. Jalin Turner. This is the fight that separates contenders from prospects. Turner is rangy, dangerous on the feet, and sits just outside the top ten himself. He submitted Bobby Green and knocked out Brad Riddell, which means Pimblett would face the exact combination of skills he hasn't been tested against: long strikes and power that can end fights early. The stylistic clash is clear: Pimblett wants to close distance and hunt submissions, while Turner thrives at kicking range and picks apart wrestlers who rush in recklessly. If Pimblett can weather the storm and take Turner's back, he announces himself as a real problem at 155. If Turner sprawls and batters him, the hype train derails.

2. Dan Hooker. Hooker is a gatekeeper in the best sense: tough, experienced, and willing to brawl. He has been finished by the elite but always makes prospects earn their ranking. The narrative hook here is Pimblett's grappling versus Hooker's underrated ground game and cardio. Hooker has survived against grapplers before, and his striking volume would force Pimblett to work harder than he has in recent fights. A win over Hooker would prove Pimblett can hang in deep water against a durable veteran. Plus, both fighters talk well, which makes for a marketable build.

3. Drew Dober. Dober is a dark-horse choice, but he would expose whether Pimblett can handle old-school pressure. Dober marches forward, throws heavy leather, and has underrated wrestling. He is not ranked high enough to vault Pimblett into title talks, but he is exactly the kind of dog who could make Pimblett look ordinary if the Liverpudlian cannot impose his game. The hook is simple: Dober has knocked out flashier fighters before, and Pimblett's defensive habits leave openings. If Pimblett submits him, the stock rises. If Dober clips him, the weight-cutting controversy becomes a bigger issue than the wins.

All three fights would test different parts of Pimblett's skillset. Turner checks if he can survive elite striking. Hooker measures his endurance and composure. Dober reveals whether the fundamentals are tight enough to withstand a grinder. The UFC needs to pick one soon, because Pimblett's window to capitalize on his momentum is narrowing. A marquee win in the next six months could put him on a pay-per-view main card by year's end. A loss sends him back to the prelims, where the weight-cutting antics will overshadow the ambition.