Paddy Pimblett expects UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev’s move up to welterweight to heavily impact his next move.
With Jack Della Maddalena (18-2 MMA, 8-0 UFC) dethroning Belal Muhammad (24-4 MMA, 15-4 UFC) to claim the welterweight title in Saturday’s UFC 315 main event, lightweight champ Makhachev is ready to chase a second belt.
Pimblett (22-4 MMA, 7-0 UFC), who emerged as a top contender after finishing Michael Chandler at UFC 314, wonders where that would leave him and the numerous other lightweights vying for a title shot.
“This is going to shake up my division in a big way,” Pimblett said on his YouTube channel. “Della vs. Islam, he showed he’s got good takedown defense there, but Islam is a different beast, isn’t he? So we’ll have to see how his strength transfers up to welterweight. … Let’s see what happens in my division now, who ends up fighting for the belt and who ends up getting the belt. Could have big implications for my career going forward.”
Pimblett previously mentioned that he’s eyeing a return in October for the UFC’s annual pay-per-view in Abu Dhabi.