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Paddy Pimblett calls for ‘The Ultimate Fighter’ season with Ilia Topuria: ‘A very interesting six weeks’

The Ultimate Fighter doesn’t have a lot of juice left in it, but Paddy Pimblett believes it’s still worth a squeeze. “The Baddy” has fought twice in 2026, losing a hard-fought decision to Justin Gaethje for the interim lightweight title…

By Ryan Harkness · MMA Mania

Published: Thursday, 1 October 2026 at 11:41 AM

Key Things to Know

Paddy Pimblett wants to fight rival Ilia Topuria and proposed they coach against each other on The Ultimate Fighter.
Pimblett claimed coaching against Topuria would provide an entertaining six weeks and lead to a fast knockout victory.
Pimblett rebounded from an interim title loss against Justin Gaethje by submitting Benoit Saint-Denis in 52 seconds at UFC 329.

The Story in 60 Seconds

UFC lightweight Paddy Pimblett has called for a matchup against rival Ilia Topuria, proposing that the two serve as opposing coaches on a season of The Ultimate Fighter. Speaking to Kolos MMA, Pimblett stated that coaching opposite Topuria would produce an entertaining six weeks and claimed he would defeat Topuria quickly enough to force him back down to featherweight.

Pimblett has fought twice in 2026, losing a decision to Justin Gaethje before securing a 52-second submission win against Benoit Saint-Denis at UFC 329. MMA Mania writer Ryan Harkness argues that the promotion should bypass filming The Ultimate Fighter to avoid long production delays and simply book the bout directly.

Read the full article on MMA Mania

Paddy Pimblett calls for ‘The Ultimate Fighter’ season with Ilia Topuria: ‘A very interesting six weeks’

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