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Pimblett admitted to Marca that he is having trouble securing a fight and feels stuck in “limbo” as he waits to hear when he will return to the Octagon. ‘The Baddy’ has continued his rise through the lightweight rankings since his last appearance, but his growing profile and divisional standing have narrowed his options. While a bout with Ilia Topuria is clearly at the top of his list, the Briton told Marca that he would also be interested in facing Justin Gaethje in a title eliminator at UFC 321. However, it appears Gaethje’s decision to hold out for a title shot could see him become Topuria’s first challenger in 2026 instead. With Arman Tsarukyan already booked and Charles Oliveira fighting earlier this month, Pimblett does not see many other realistic options outside of the Spaniard. “I thought I was going to fight Gaethje in Abu Dhabi in October, but he’s not going to be involved. “Dan Hooker is going to fight Arman Tsarukyan and Charles [Oliveira] just fought [Mateusz] Gamrot. There’s no one else I can fight, apart from Ilia Topuria, so hopefully that fight will be sorted out,” he told the Spanish outlet. Ilia Topuria comments on potential January return Topuria has not fought since June, but with his profile still growing, it would not be surprising to see him back in the cage early in 2026. Dana White has already mentioned that a January fight is “possible,” and ‘El Matador’ himself addressed the timeline when asked about his plans. The unbeaten lightweight champion recently revealed that he could end up opening the UFC’s new broadcast deal with Paramount by putting his title on the line.
