“See you at the top”—a phrase we’ve often heard from the one and only Michael Chandler. But recently, guess who else echoed those words? None other than surging 155fer Paddy Pimblett. This naturally gets the wheels turning: Could a showdown between these two exciting fighters be on the horizon? The duo has been teasing a potential fight for some time now, though the UFC has yet to make any official announcements.

However, according to an insider and UFC welterweight contender, our dreams of seeing this showdown might need to be put on hold. The latest scoop suggests that there could be some roadblocks preventing this highly anticipated matchup from happening anytime soon.

Gilbert Burns spills the beans on Michael Chandler vs. Paddy Pimblett

Paddy Pimblett recently teased exciting fight news, hinting that Michael Chandler could be his next opponent by adopting the American’s signature phrase, “See you at the top” in a YouTube video. This sparked a frenzy among fans, with many eagerly anticipating a showdown between the two. However, on the other side of the coin, Chandler had already laid out his plans for 2025, which included potential matchups with Max Holloway and even Conor McGregor, adding more uncertainty to the situation.

Meanwhile, welterweight contender Gilbert Burns weighed in with some intriguing thoughts on the potential fight during an appearance on the Show Me The Money podcast. Burns, who is Chandler’s training partner at Kill Cliff gym expressed doubt about whether the fight was truly in the works, suggesting that Chandler’s absence from the gym raised some red flags.

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“I’m just not sure because Michael would be in the gym right now if he was fighting this guy [Paddy Pimblett],” Burns said. “He’s one thing that he does—he gets prepared super well for his fights. And he doesn’t play around whenever he knows the guy is lifting like crazy, running.” Burns continued, showing his skepticism, “I don’t know, but I haven’t seen Michael at the gym. So maybe, maybe not.”

It is also true that Pimblett had previously expressed interest in facing the podcast’s host Renato Moicano, but ‘Money’ is already booked to fight Beneil Dariush at UFC 311. Meanwhile, Chandler, who last fought against Charles Oliveira and suffered a loss, has also been keeping an eye on potential matchups. But even before the Englishman teased the matchup, Chandler had Pimbett’s name in his plans. Let’s see what ‘Iron’ had to say!

Michael Chandler hopes to fight Pimblett in the near future 

In a recent YouTube video showcasing his training, Paddy Pimblett shared an exciting update with his fans. “Nice end to the year, to be honest. I’m in good shape, about 84-85 kilos,” Pimblett said. While he didn’t mention a specific opponent, he dropped a significant hint. “People have been speculating who I am fighting and this and that,” he continued before concluding with, “Just need to get stuff signed. And I’ll see you at the top.”

Meanwhile, Michael Chandler has also been teasing a potential showdown with Pimblett. In an interview with Lucky Block, Chandler hinted that if Conor McGregor doesn’t return in the first half of 2025, he’ll be facing someone else—and that someone could very well be ‘The Baddy’. Chandler went on to say, “Paddy versus myself is gonna happen at some point.” Both fighters have been dropping subtle hints about their potential matchup, despite UFC CEO Dana White remaining tight-lipped on the matter.

Chandler further fueled the speculation with a recent Instagram post, writing, “The new year is fast approaching. Calculating the next moves and reaching for growth. Walk On. See you at the top!” With both fighters signaling their readiness for a clash, could this be the latest addition to Chandler’s 2025 UFC blueprint? What do you think—will this showdown take place? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!