Paddy Pimblett has announced that he will return to the octagon during UFC's international fight week. The post includes a poll asking fans to vote on who they would like to see as his opponent. The three options presented are Renato Moicano (Sen-Deni), Mateusz Gamrot, and Arman Tsarukyan. No official opponent has been confirmed at this time, and the post does not specify which event during international fight week Pimblett would compete on.
Paddy Pimblett has announced he will return to the octagon during UFC International Fight Week, though no official opponent has been confirmed. The Liverpool native took to social media to make the news public, attaching a fan poll offering three potential matchups: Renato Moicano, Mateusz Gamrot, and Arman Tsarukyan. The specific event during fight week has not been identified.
Pimblett, 31, holds a 23-4 record and sits sixth in the lightweight rankings. Fighting out of Next Generation MMA Liverpool, the orthodox striker is one of the division's more active offensive threats, landing 5.49 significant strikes per minute at 52 percent accuracy. He also poses a consistent submission threat, averaging 1.2 submission attempts per 15 minutes.
Moicano, ranked 13th at lightweight, carries a 21-7-1 record at age 37. The orthodox fighter stands five-foot-eleven with a 72-inch reach and lands 4.1 significant strikes per minute, mixing his offense with 1.68 takedown attempts per 15 minutes.
Gamrot enters the conversation ranked 10th in the division with a 26-4 record. The 35-year-old Pole out of American Top Team is a southpaw standing five-foot-ten with a 70-inch reach. His most distinctive attribute is a punishing wrestling game — he averages 5.15 takedown attempts per 15 minutes — making him a very different stylistic puzzle compared to the other candidates.
Why it matters
- Pimblett at sixth in the rankings is within striking distance of the lightweight title picture, making his next opponent selection significant.
- A fight with Gamrot would test Pimblett's takedown defense against one of the division's most active wrestlers.
- Moicano and Tsarukyan would each offer contrasting challenges in terms of grappling and striking blend.
- No opponent is official, and the outcome of the fan poll carries no confirmed bearing on UFC matchmaking.
