Paddy Pimblett wants to fight again later in 2026 following his bout with Benoit Saint Denis and is willing to move up in weight to face Conor McGregor. The potential superfight between the two Irish and British fan favorites remains unconfirmed.
Paddy Pimblett has reportedly expressed interest in moving up a weight class to pursue a superfight with Conor McGregor in 2026, though no agreement or official announcement has been made between the two parties.
Pimblett, 31, currently sits sixth in the UFC lightweight rankings with a record of 23-4-0. The Liverpool native trains out of Next Generation MMA and fights out of an orthodox stance, standing five-foot-ten with a 73-inch reach. He is one of the division's more active strikers, landing 5.49 significant strikes per minute at a 52 percent accuracy rate, and he supplements his stand-up game with 1.2 submission attempts per 15 minutes. His next confirmed commitment is a bout with Benoit Saint Denis before any McGregor clash could materialize.
Saint Denis, ranked ninth at lightweight, carries a 17-3-0 record and represents a formidable obstacle. The 30-year-old southpaw is one of the division's most dangerous grapplers, averaging 4.19 takedowns per 15 minutes along with 1.8 submission attempts in the same span, and he also lands 5.62 significant strikes per minute at 58 percent accuracy.
McGregor, 37, holds a professional record of 22-6-0 and fights out of SBG Ireland. The southpaw stands five-foot-nine with a 74-inch reach. A fight with Pimblett would require the Englishman to move above his natural lightweight limit to accommodate McGregor, whose divisional home remains unspecified in current reports.
Why it matters
- A Pimblett-McGregor matchup would pit two of MMA's biggest fan-drawing personalities against each other across national lines.
- Pimblett moving up in weight adds a layer of competitive uncertainty to an already unconfirmed bout.
- Pimblett's ranking at sixth in lightweight suggests a win over Saint Denis could strengthen his leverage in pushing for high-profile fights.
- The report remains unverified, and no promotional confirmation has been issued.
