If Paddy Pimblett wins his case, he will face either Renato Moicano or Dan Hooker in his next UFC fight.
Englishman Pimblett has long been one of MMA’s fastest rising stars, but it wasn’t until his latest fight that he finally established himself as a legitimate contender in the UFC’s lightweight division.
His last appearance in the Octagon came at UFC 304 in Manchester in July, when he submitted veteran lightweight Bobby Green with a rear-naked choke in the first round. Since that incredible performance, fans have been wondering who he’ll fight next, and he made his choice clear in a recent interview with Action Network.
His first choice, he explained, is the Brazilian Moicano.
“Now I want to fight Renato Moicano,” Pimblett said. “He wants to fight me. I want to fight him. I think it would be a fun fight for everyone involved. We would have a good fight.”
“If it were up to me, it would be Moicano. It’s a great fight,” he added. “I thought the other week that the perfect path to the title would have been Moicano and then Charles Oliveira.”
Unfortunately for Pimblett, Moicano is scheduled to face Benoit Saint-Denis in the UFC main event on September 28 in Paris, France. The Briton will likely have to fight someone else, unless he intends to wait months for Moicano to recover from the injuries he suffered in his fight with Saint-Denis.
Fortunately, Pimblett has another option in mind: New Zealander Hooker.
“If I get offered Dan Hooker, I’ll take it,” he said. “I’ll go straight to fifth and then probably go into a playoff for the title.
“I’m up for any of them. Like I say, any name that’s thrown at me is totally valid. I’m not afraid to fight anyone.”
Following his win over Green, Pimblett is 6-0 in the UFC, with four victories. His other highlight in the Octagon was a decision win over former interim champion Tony Ferguson late last year. He is currently ranked No. 15 in the weight class.
Moicano, a former featherweight, is 6-2 since moving up to lightweight. His best wins in that division have come against Jalin Turner, Drew Dober and Brad Riddell, while his losses have come against top-tier opponents like Rafael dos Anjos and Rafael Fiziev. He is currently ranked No. 11 at lightweight.
Hooker, a staple in the top 15 at lightweight, is currently on a three-fight winning streak. His last victory came at UFC 305 earlier this month, when he pulled off an upset decision win over former two-division KSW champion Mateusz Gamrot. The win, which followed losses to Claudio Puelles and Turner, moved him up to No. 5 in the lightweight rankings.
