Paddy Pimblett open to weight jump for Conor McGregor fight in 2026

Reports emerged on June 26 that Paddy Pimblett is open to moving up in weight to pursue a fight with Conor McGregor in 2026, with the Liverpool fighter eyeing the bout as a second outing following his scheduled lightweight clash with Benoit Saint Denis. No deal has been confirmed, and the McGregor fight remains a reported aspiration rather than a signed agreement.

Pimblett, 31, holds a 23-4-0 record and sits at number six in the lightweight rankings. Fighting out of Next Generation MMA Liverpool in an orthodox stance, he stands five-foot-ten with a 73-inch reach. He is one of the division's more active offensive fighters, landing 5.49 significant strikes per minute at 52 percent accuracy while averaging 1.2 submission attempts per 15 minutes.

His pending opponent, Benoit Saint Denis, carries a 17-3-0 record and is ranked ninth at lightweight. The 30-year-old Frenchman is a relentless southpaw grappler, averaging 4.19 takedowns per 15 minutes alongside 1.8 submission attempts — among the higher rates in the division — and lands 5.62 significant strikes per minute at 58 percent accuracy.

McGregor, 37, holds a 22-6-0 professional record and fights out of SBG Ireland in a southpaw stance. He stands five-foot-nine with a 74-inch reach and carries a career striking output of 5.32 significant strikes per minute, though his submission attempt rate of 0.1 per 15 minutes reflects his overwhelmingly striking-focused style. McGregor has not fought since 2021.

Why it matters

• A weight-class move would require Pimblett to leave the lightweight top-ten picture he has worked to establish
• McGregor's return opponent is unconfirmed, making Pimblett one of several fighters reportedly angling for that matchup
• The contrasting styles — Pimblett's submission pressure against McGregor's left-hand-heavy striking — would represent a genuine stylistic crossroads