UFC Hall of Famer Chael Sonnen believes a lightweight fight between Paddy Pimblett and Max Holloway makes sense for both men.
Both Pimblett and Holloway were victorious at UFC 329, with Pimblett submitting Benoit Saint Denis in the co-main event and Holloway defeating Conor McGregor via first-round injury TKO in the main event.
With UFC lightweight champion Justin Gaethje likely to take the rest of the year off, it makes you wonder what the rest of the division’s top contenders, such as Pimblett, Holloway, Arman Tsarukyan, and former champ Ilia Topuria, will do next.
In Sonnen’s view, and especially if Gaethje decides to retire, then a fight between Holloway and Pimblett, possibly for the vacant lightweight belt, could happen.
Chael Sonnen Wants Paddy Pimblett vs. Max Holloway
Speaking to MMAjunkie.com in a recent interview following UFC 329, Sonnen said he wants to see Pimblett fight Holloway.
“If Justin Gaethje retires and we get two guys to fight for a title, I do think Max is likely – and has a very strong case – to be one of those guys. Max vs. Ilia would be great. Paddy vs. Ilia happens to work out right now. Max vs. Arman Tsarukyan would be great. Paddy vs. Tsarukyan would work out right now. But when you start to do the math, there is this outside idea nobody has brought up yet: Paddy vs. Max. What are they fighting for? Is that the one to do a for (a vacant) title? It’s going to be very hard to carve out Arman Tsarukyan right now. But Arman will let you know he just wants to fight. He would like a belt, but there doesn’t have to be. Just get him an opponent. There is actually a pretty realistic way to get Max vs. Paddy and to get it next,” Sonnen said.
Chael Sonnen Praises Paddy Pimblett
Following the win over Saint Denis, Pimblett moved to 8-1 in his UFC career, with his only loss coming by decision to Gaethje earlier this year in a war.
Sonnen has been nothing but impressed with Pimblett’s rise, and he truly believes he has what it takes to be the UFC lightweight champion one day.
“Paddy is a very dangerous guy. I remember the days Paddy was just a young kid with good mic skills and a weird haircut. … Paddy really is special. There’s nothing that says to me he can’t be a world champion at the toughest weight class in the sport,” Sonnen said.
Pimblett’s win over Saint Denis put him in the upper echelon of lightweights, as it was the biggest win of his MMA career to date, and he did it spectacularly, too. While he would love to get a rematch with Gaethje next, what seems far more likely is that he will have to fight another elite fighter in the weight class first, and then, if he wins that fight, we could be talking about a rematch against Gaethje, only this time with the undisputed UFC lightweight title on the line.
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