Joshua Van Proposes Paddy Pimblett vs. Ilia Topuria Fight to Decide No. 1 Contender

The UFC’s lightweight division is currently in a state of uncertainty. Justin Gaethje took the title from Ilia Topuria in June, and there have been no major fight announcements since. 

Top contenders, including Paddy Pimblett and Arman Tsarukyan, are still waiting for the UFC to line up their next fights. The situation has become a topic of discussion in the MMA community, and Joshua Van has now shared his two cents on the matter.

Joshua Van Suggests Paddy Pimblett vs. Ilia Topuria

“I think that kind of helps the division too because let’s say Gaethje doesn’t want to, which it’s looking like Gaethje doesn’t want to give Ilia a rematch. They fight for the number one contender, and the winner fights Gaethje,” Van said during an appearance on the Outta Pocket podcast. 

Furthermore, Van added that while the UFC works on making this matchup, Arman Tsarukyan should be given a title shot against champion Justin Gaethje.

Interestingly, Paddy Pimblett is also interested in fighting Ilia Topuria. He has also proposed an alternative: coaching against each other on the upcoming season of The Ultimate Fighter.

Pimbeltt on Topuria

Earlier, when Paddy Pimblett revealed that he wanted to coach against Ilia Topuria on an upcoming season of The Ultimate Fighter, even UFC President Dana White showed interest in the idea.

However, Pimblett believes Topuria won’t accept the offer. The British star said he would torment Topuria mentally during the show, leading him to believe that the Spaniard would avoid coaching against him on TUF.

Gaethje has publicly said he would choose Arman Tsarukyan as his next opponent when he returns. Meanwhile, Pimblett has continued pushing for a fight against Topuria, but the Spaniard has yet to respond.

Pimblett and Topuria have a history of bad blood and have even been involved in a backstage altercation during a UFC London event. As a result, a fight between the two, or even a coaching rivalry on TUF, would make for an exciting prospect for fans.