Paddy Pimblett gives honest prediction on UFC title chances ahead of Conor McGregor comeback card

Paddy Pimblett believes another shot at the UFC lightweight title is still within reach as he prepares for his highly anticipated return to the Octagon this weekend.

The 31-year-old has not competed since suffering the first defeat of his UFC career against Justin Gaethje in their interim lightweight title fight at UFC 324 in January, ending a nine-fight winning streak.

Gaethje outlanded Pimblett 200 strikes to 170 and scored two knockdowns on his way to claiming the interim belt.

That victory earned Gaethje a showdown with Ilia Topuria at last month's UFC White House Event, where he pulled off one of the biggest upsets in MMA history by dethroning the previously unbeaten champion to become the undisputed lightweight titleholder.

Pimblett admitted he was not surprised to see Gaethje spring the upset against the man he has mockingly dubbed "Quitney Houston" and enjoyed watching his long-time rival finally lose his perfect record. However, he also couldn't help but wonder whether he could have been the one to hand Topuria the first defeat of his career.

Now, the Liverpudlian is fully focused on proving himself when he faces Benoît Saint Denis on Saturday. While he hopes a victory will put him back in the title picture, Pimblett accepts there are no guarantees.

"I think it was fate that (Gaethje) beat me," Pimblett told TMZ. "It was his destiny to beat me so that he could go on and win at the White House lawn against Ilia when no one gave him a chance. I just think it was destiny, and I think if we fought again, I'd win."

A rematch with Gaethje could eventually materialise, but first Pimblett must get past Saint Denis at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

Even if he does, the Englishman accepts that another title opportunity is unlikely to come immediately.

"I can't just beat BSD who's ranked (number) five and say (that) I deserve the title (shot) next. You've got to let the UFC do what they do, and obviously if I can fight for the title after I beat BSD, I would. I don't think I'm going to be able to though."

Pimblett's clash with Saint Denis features on the undercard of Conor McGregor's long-awaited UFC return, with the former two-division champion headlining the event against Max Holloway in a rematch of their 2013 featherweight meeting, which McGregor won by unanimous decision.

McGregor has not fought since July 2021, when he suffered a second consecutive defeat to Dustin Poirier and sustained a broken leg in the process.