Opening odds have emerged for a potential matchup between Max Holloway and Paddy Pimblett. However, both fighters are currently favoured by oddsmakers to face Justin Gaethje as their next opponent rather than each other.
Early odds have surfaced for a potential lightweight clash between Max Holloway and Paddy Pimblett, though neither fight has been confirmed. According to oddsmakers, both men are actually more likely to meet Justin Gaethje next, making the Holloway-Pimblett pairing a speculative possibility rather than a concrete booking as of July 12, 2026.
Holloway, 34, enters this conversation ranked fourth in the lightweight division and ninth in the pound-for-pound standings with a 28-9-0 record. The Hawaiian orthodox striker out of Gracie Technics is one of the most prolific volume fighters in the sport, landing 6.92 significant strikes per minute at 48 percent accuracy. Standing five-foot-eleven with a 69-inch reach, he has built his reputation almost entirely on the feet, averaging just 0.22 takedowns per 15 minutes.
Pimblett, 31, sits one step below at sixth in the division and carries a 24-4-0 record for Next Generation MMA Liverpool. The Englishman also works from an orthodox stance at five-foot-ten with a notably longer 73-inch reach. He lands 5.48 significant strikes per minute at 52 percent accuracy and poses a considerably greater submission threat than Holloway, averaging 1.4 submission attempts per 15 minutes alongside 0.68 takedowns per 15 minutes.
Standing between both men and a title shot is Gaethje, the reigning lightweight champion. The 37-year-old from Genesis Training Center holds a 28-5-0 record and leads all three fighters in striking accuracy at 58 percent while landing 6.48 significant strikes per minute. The Arizona native stands five-foot-eleven with a 70-inch reach and has recorded zero submission attempts across his career.
Why it matters
- Gaethje is the current lightweight champion, so any fight involving him carries title implications
- Holloway at fourth and Pimblett at sixth are both squarely inside the division's contender tier
- A Holloway-Pimblett matchup would pit heavy volume striking against a more submission-oriented threat, creating a genuine stylistic contrast
- None of these matchups are officially confirmed, and the picture could shift quickly
