On UFC 318 it seemed that Paddy Pimblett was set up as the next lightweight title -Pondager.
Despite sharing a face with the champion in the Octagon, Ilia Topuria recently suggested that Pimblett still needs a victory before he was confronted with him.
Their final meeting in the Octagon after a feud that has been developing for several years would undoubtedly be one of the biggest fights that the UFC could now do.
Other contenders, however, have hit the position of Pimblett in the division, where 'the Baddy' is in the title photo despite holding the #9 ranking.
A candidate who could be the next step for the controversial Brit recently spoke about why he did not call this matchup.
Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC
Dan Hooker does not assess Paddy Pimblett and believes that this mentality would not bring the best to him
In a recent interview with Submission Radio, Hooker spoke about what the next one is for him now an octagon recovery is getting closer.
Hooker ruled himself from fighting for the BMF or lightweight titles, in the conviction that he first had to win a victory under his belt, after he had not participated in August last year since UFC 305.
'The Hangman' admitted that Paddy Pimblett was not a potential opponent that he had thought a lot recently.
Hooker recently called Charles Oliveira and Arman Tsarukyan on social media, but Pimblett could be another realistic option.
Someone wakes up Charlie Olives and tells him that we are fighting in November. 🍸
– Dan Hangman Hooker (@danthehangman) July 25, 2025
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One of the reasons why the #6 did not try to position himself for this matchup is because he does not believe it will get the best out of him.
Hooker admitted that he does not judge Pimblett as a top lightweight and believes that this would lead to him not performing fully from his possibilities.
“He continues to look better than he saw before, but he never really looked so good. No, I don't think the man is so good and then it brings out the best of me when I fight like a really good hunter.
“If they give me someone I think I can beat or I think someone's s – then I fight -. My mind unknowingly relaxes because I think they are s – and then I do s – and then they have defeated me … so I prefer to fight the best man, so I actually perform well.”
Then Hooker believes that the UFC deliberately did not explain who the next one is in line to challenge the lightweight title
Both Justin Gaethje and Arman Tsarukyan believe that they will earn the next shot at the title of Ilia Topuria, while Paddy Pimblett could both have overlap after what happened on UFC 318.
Speaking with Submission Radio, Hooker believes that it is a targeted tactic on behalf of the promotion not to guarantee who will be the next.
He thinks that the UFC would rather keep things in every division in this way, because this enables them to negotiate more power to negotiate conditions for the fight.
“They never paint themselves in a situation in which a clear number is one contender that has to fight for the belt, because if they ever are in that situation, negotiations will be clearly very difficult for them.
“If the fans are 100% locked and expect that there is only one man who makes sense to the title, do you think when they sit and negotiate that the UFC is in a strong position?”