UFC fighters usually keep their upcoming fights under wraps until the promotion makes official announcements. It’s part of the business deal between athletes, managers, and matchmakers. But sometimes, information slips through the cracks in unexpected ways, especially when fighters start chatting casually on podcasts or social media.<\/p>
The latest drama involves two fighters who probably weren’t even supposed to be connected in this story. Dricus du Plessis apparently let slip some major news about the lightweight division during a casual appearance on a YouTube channel. Meanwhile, Paddy Pimblett, the Liverpool fighter known for his colorful personality and unbeaten UFC record, found himself at the center of speculation he never asked for. <\/p>
The middleweight champion was making a routine appearance on content creator Ahmed Amwell’s YouTube channel. That is when he casually mentioned that Paddy Pimblett vs Justin Gaethje as the co-main event for UFC 319. In the MMA world, this kind of leak can send shockwaves through the community.<\/p>
The timing of du Plessis’s revelation made it particularly interesting. UFC 317 had just wrapped up with Ilia Topuria knocking out Charles Oliveira to claim the lightweight title. Everyone was speculating about who would get the first title shot. Pimblett had his heated face-off with Topuria after the fight, while Gaethje was also present at the event. This added fuel to the speculation fire. Du Plessis’s comments suggested that instead of either man getting an immediate title shot, they would need to fight each other first to determine the next challenger.<\/p>