Paddy Pimblett handed shock new UFC ranking after Ilia Topuria face-off and it's got fans talking
Paddy Pimblett has been handed a shock new UFC ranking after facing off against Ilia Topuria at UFC 317.
Topuria delivered a stunning performance as he knocked out Charles Oliveira to win the vacant UFC lightweight title in Las Vegas, Nevada, last weekend.
After his first round victory, Topuria called out Pimblett before facing off against his rival.
'The Baddy' has won seven fights inside the famed Octagon since joining the MMA leaders from Cage Warriors.
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He stopped Michael Chandler in his last outing, earning a spot in the top ten of the UFC lightweight rankings.
But Pimblett has dropped down the official rankings following UFC 317.
Last weekend's card also featured a lightweight clash between Beneil Dariush and Renato Moicano.
Dariush outpointed Moicano by unanimous decision to pick up his first UFC win since 2022.
His victory has propelled himself up the UFC lightweight rankings, moving above Pimblett in the process.
Dariush has been given a ranking of No. 9, while Pimblett has dropped two places to No.10.
UFC's decision to move him down the rankings got fans online talking as some reckon he won't be in line for a title shot despite his face-off against Topuria.
One X user wrote: "Paddy down to #10. Buddy is NOT getting a title shot."
A second said: "Paddy dropped 2 because of that face off being so cringe."
A third questioned: "Beneil above Paddy? That’s diabolical. Paddy should be ranked 7 at least."
Another added: "There's no way the UFC will give Paddy a title shot. Ilia wants to fight in December, and the only way it'll be with Arman will depend on whether the UFC forgets what happened in January. I doubt Arman will fight twice this year."
Pimblett hopes to land a fight against Topuria, but it appears he'll have to prove himself once again before competing for UFC gold.
He believes a bout against Topuria is on the same level as Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Conor McGregor.
"You don't even need to sell that fight - it sells itself," he said on ESPN's UFC 317 post-fight show.
"Two people who genuinely dislike each other. We don't really get that. We haven't seen that since Khabib and McGregor, two people who actually hate each other. Because I hate him. I wouldn't want to finish him fast, I would want to finish him with a minute left in the fight after I've elbowed him 700 times. I'd want to disfigure him."
When is Paddy Pimblett's next UFC fight?
As it stands, Pimblett has nothing lined up - but he is targeting a showdown against MMA veteran Justin Gaethje, who beat Rafael Fiziev at UFC 313 last March.
The 30-year-old wants a spot on UFC's proposed pay-per-view card in Abu Dhabi in late October.
"I'm hoping to fight in Abu Dhabi in October. I think that's when I'm going to be back in the cage," he told BBC Sport last month.
"I was thinking Ilia might call me out if he wins [against Oliveira]. I'd love to beat him if he gets the belt.
"I'd love to fight him anyway but he's booked, so I think it's more than likely Justin Gaethje."
Topics: Fan Reactions, UFC, Paddy Pimblett
Nasir Jabbar