Apr 13, 2024; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Justin Gaethje during UFC 300 at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

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Paddy Pimblett Or Arman Tsarukyan- Who Will Be Justin Gaetjhe’s Next Fight Amidst Both Calling For A Crack?

Justin Gaethje suddenly highly sought after as two major lightweight contenders want him for their next fight!

Apr 13, 2024; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Justin Gaethje during UFC 300 at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

The UFC lightweight division has never been more interesting than right now. With Islam Makhachev vacating his title to chase welterweight gold against Jack Della Maddalena, the 155-pound weight class has turned into the Wild West overnight. Charles Oliveira and Ilia Topuria are set to battle for the vacant title at UFC 317, but what about the rest of the top contenders? Specifically, what’s next for ‘The Highlight’ Justin Gaethje?

The former BMF champion finds himself in an enviable position as one of the division’s most exciting fighters. He is not currently booked for a fight, but he is certainly not lacking options. Two fighters have emerged as the frontrunners for Gaethje’s attention: Paddy Pimblett and Arman Tsarukyan.

Gaethje’s next opponent will likely determine who gets the first crack at whoever emerges as champion between Oliveira and Topuria. Both Pimblett and Tsarukyan have made compelling cases for why they should be the one to face Gaethje. Their styles would create wildly different matchups – Pimblett’s chaotic aggression versus Tsarukyan’s technical dominance. The UFC matchmakers now face an interesting dilemma: go with the surging star power of Pimblett or the technical excellence of Tsarukyan? Let us break down both fighters’ cases and see who has the better chance of landing the coveted Gaethje fight.

Also Read: ‘Khamzat Chimaev Is Going To Take Me Down, but He Has To Keep Me There’ – Dricus Du Plessis Talks About His Plans For UFC 319

Paddy Calling For A Shot Against Justin Gaethje

Paddy Pimblett has been riding a wave of momentum since his knockout victory over Michael Chandler at UFC 314. Since then, Pimblett hasn’t been shy about calling his next shot. He declared in a recent interview with TNT Sports.

“I know for a fact if I beat Gaethje, I’m next in line…Abu Dhabi. October. That pay-per-view. That’s when I want to fight.”

Paddy Pimblett wants to fight Justin Gaethje next in October in Abu Dhabi 👀

"If I beat Gaethje I'm next in line. He could be [next], it's just if he says yea or not… Abu Dhabi, October. That's when I want to fight."

(via. @ufcontnt) #UFC #MMA pic.twitter.com/n5tza6TpMx
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) May 16, 2025

Pimblett is also thinking several moves ahead on the lightweight chessboard. He has mentioned that beating Gaethje would undoubtedly make him “next in line” for a title shot. But he is also keeping an eye on the upcoming title fight, noting that if Topuria wins the belt, he might skip the Gaethje fight altogether. Pimblett referenced the bad blood between him and Topuria that began with an altercation at a UFC London event back in 2023.

Arman Calling For A Shot Against Gaethje

While Pimblett makes his case based on star power and recent momentum, Arman Tsarukyan’s argument centers on rankings and missed opportunities. Currently sitting as the #1 contender in the lightweight division, Tsarukyan was supposed to challenge Makhachev for the title at UFC 311 in January. However, a back injury forced him off the card just a day before the event, with Renato Moicano stepping in as a last-minute replacement. This bad luck cost Tsarukyan his title shot. UFC CEO Dana White confirmed he would need another win to earn another crack at gold.Now, with Makhachev moving up and the division reset, Tsarukyan sees Gaethje as the logical next step.

“I feel like it’s supposed to be Gaethje. It all makes sense. Oliveira fighting for the title. Gaethje has no fight. Poirier fighting with Max Holloway for the BMF title. Me and Justin [don’t] have a fight. So, it makes sense.” said Tsarukyan via JAXXON podcast.

Arman Tsarukyan Wants Justin Gaethje At UFC 317 And Wants The Backup Fighter Position For The Main Event. pic.twitter.com/QIUc9ycctY
— Robert Tellez (@Bert_MMA) May 16, 2025

Unlike Pimblett, who’s targeting an October date in Abu Dhabi, Tsarukyan wants to stay active and fight sooner. He’s pitching a bout against Gaethje at UFC 317 during International Fight Week on the same card as the Topuria-Oliveira title fight.

Who Will Actually Get The Fight?

When it comes to who is more likely to face Gaethje next, both fighters have compelling cases. Tsarukyan has the higher ranking (#1 vs Pimblett’s position outside the top 5) and a more urgent timeline, wanting to fight as soon as June. The UFC often prefers to honor the rankings system, especially in situations involving clear title eliminator bouts. From a pure sporting perspective, he is the more deserving candidate based on his resume that includes a win over Charles Oliveira at UFC 300.

However, the fight business isn’t always about rankings. It is about dollars! Pimblett brings considerably more star power and mainstream attention. His fights consistently draw eyeballs, and a matchup with the equally exciting Gaethje would be marketing gold. The UFC might prefer to save such a high-profile showdown for a major card like the Abu Dhabi event in October that Pimblett mentioned.

The most likely scenario? Tsarukyan will probably need to be patient or take another fight, while the UFC books the more marketable Pimblett-Gaethje clash, though the timeline might be different.

(Image Credit: Mark J. Rebilas – Imagn Images)

Arman Tsarukyan

Justin Gaethje

Paddy Pimblett

Zaid Quraishi

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I am a dedicated MMA and Boxing content writer at The Playoffs. I was instantly hooked on MMA after watching the fight between Lyoto Machida vs. Gegard Mousasi back in 2014, and since then, i have been an avid writer with a deep love for the sport and its techniques, providing readers with a thorough understanding of the sport. My favorite aspect of working at The Playoffs is the creative freedom it provides. The diverse range of topics, from listicles and SEO to news articles, keeps me engaged and motivates me to continuously improve my skills! I aim to capture the excitement of the combat sports world in my writing, acting as the middleman between fighters and their die-hard fans. It is kind of like a referee, but with words!