Paddy Pimblett wants to fight again in 2026 following his bout with Benoit Saint Denis and is willing to move up in weight to face Conor McGregor. The potential matchup remains unconfirmed.
Paddy Pimblett has expressed a desire to fight in 2026 following his bout with Benoit Saint Denis, and the Liverpool lightweight says he is willing to move up in weight to make a potential clash with Conor McGregor happen. The matchup has not been officially confirmed by either fighter's camp or the UFC.
Pimblett, 31, holds a 23-4-0 record and is currently ranked sixth in the lightweight division. Fighting out of Next Generation MMA Liverpool, the five-foot-ten Englishman is an aggressive presence on the feet, landing 5.49 significant strikes per minute at 52 percent accuracy, while also hunting submissions at a rate of 1.2 attempts per 15 minutes.
His most recent opponent, Benoit Saint Denis, is a fellow lightweight ranked ninth in the division. The 30-year-old Frenchman carries a 17-3-0 record and is one of the more complete fighters in the weight class, combining heavy striking — 5.62 significant strikes per minute at 58 percent accuracy — with elite wrestling, averaging 4.19 takedown attempts per 15 minutes.
McGregor, 37, holds a 22-6-0 record and fights out of SBG Ireland. The southpaw carries a 74-inch reach from a five-foot-nine frame and has historically competed at both featherweight and lightweight. Any move by Pimblett to accommodate McGregor would likely mean stepping outside the 155-pound division.
Why it matters
- Pimblett sits sixth in the lightweight rankings, so a move up in weight to chase McGregor would carry real divisional cost.
- McGregor's division and ranking are unconfirmed in the current data, adding uncertainty to where any bout would be sanctioned.
- Stylistically, both men are high-output strikers, which could make for an engaging stand-up contest if the fight is ever made official.
