Well, it isn’t news that the UFC is more than eager for Paddy Pimblett in the lightweight title picture, whether or not his skills can back him up. And that forced call for Pimblett v. Ilia Topuria might be steering him closer to an ugly fate, with an interim title bout with Justin Gaethje, as one retired UFC fighter issues a chilling prediction.

Amid the pre-fight trash talk, both lightweights have shared their intentional approach to the bout. If we take them at their word, both seemed to have adapted to each other’s fighting styles, with Pimblett wanting to stand up and strike against Gaethje, who is further eyeing a submission finish against the Liverpudlian. But how much of that will actually translate to the Octagon? Urijah Faber is here to the rescue.

Justin Gaethje has the ‘tools’ to outclass Paddy Pimblett

Speaking at the Helen Yee Sports podcast, Urijah Faber dissected the interim fight with the precision of a seasoned MMA expert. His voice didn’t hitch as he named his outright choice. “Man, I’ve got to go with Gaethje. I feel like he’s the one that more enjoys a knockdown, drag-out fight than the other guy. Not that Paddy Pimblett doesn’t love to fight, it’s just Gaethje loves to actually get down and throw fist for fist,” he told Helen Yee.

Gaethje doesn’t shy away from extended, chaotic striking exchanges even as he gets hit. He thrives when fighting steel with iron, throwing “fist for fist.” The striker applies constant pressure and forces extended exchanges on their feet, which could block Pimblett from getting into the territory where he hits his stride—grappling.

Top Stories

Trump Family Promises $23 Million to “MMA’s Most Prominent Investor” Conor McGregor

Two-Time Venezuelan UFC Champion Clears Stance on Trump’s Takeover and Maduro’s Capture

How Tom Hardy Nearly Ended Up Fighting Arman Tsarukyan, Per Leaked Chat

UFC Legend Frank Mir’s Daughter, Bella, Engaged After Public Proposal to Girlfriend, Anayka Besco

UFC Fans Panic Over Paramount’s Pay-Per-Fight Pricing After $7.7 Billion Deal

He has all the tools to keep the fight standing, too, as Faber further elaborated. “He’s also got the Division I wrestling to kind of negate some of the biggest skill sets of Paddy. Paddy’s a very dominant grappler when it comes to submissions and being aggressive with that. I think Gaethje has the tools to keep it where he wants it, and I think that’s going to give him an edge,” he adds.

Gaethje, who wrestled out of the University of Northern Colorado, collected 2x NCAA Division I All-American accolades, and that translates well into his UFC career. With a takedown defense of 68%, his wrestling background is less about taking Pimblett down and more about controlling the plane of their fight. If the fight never hits the mats, Pimblett could land in serious trouble under Gaethje’s consistent pressure and nonstop blows.

Couple that with an average of 6.59 strikes landed per minute with an accuracy of 58%, and Pimblett seems to have gotten the perfect recipe for disaster. As much as this may sting, pulling guard for the ground game could force him into a more spine-chilling TKO loss, a hard-earned lesson that Kron Gracie left before he hung up his MMA gloves.

Paddy Pimblett seems to be stuck at a dead end. However, his arch-rival seemingly has a more positive outlook on the bout.

Ilia Topuria backs the interim title bout as Pimblett shifts his strategy

Even though Ilia Topuria is out of the UFC scene for the moment, he has remained active in the media, sharing how he believes the interim title fight was well-deserved for both fighters, something not many will agree on. Even though his personal beef with Paddy Pimblett has only sizzled more turbulently over the years, he believes that Pimblett is actually one of the closest to being a world champion in the lightweight division.

In fact, he believes Pimblett will put up quite a fight against Gaethje and possibly even edge him out. “I don’t know how capable he will be of ruining the plans of the UFC and Paddy Pimblett’s plans. It’s going to be quite difficult. Not impossible, so I wish him all the luck,” Topuria quipped on Justin Gaethje.

Moreover, he has high hopes for the bout, which he thinks will be an exciting clash between stylistic differences, with Gaethje’s incredible command on the feet and Pimblett’s jaw-dropping BJJ finesse. “Justin is well-known because of his heavy hand, has heavy kicks also, does a lot of damage with the calf kicks, his right hand. We have seen Paddy take a lot of hits in their previous combats, so that is a very exciting fight for all fans,” he added.

However, as Pimblett revealed, the Liverpudlian isn’t afraid to keep the fight standing, either. In fact, ‘The Baddy’ plans on putting on his MMA gloves and stringing together a masterclass in MMA striking. “People think I’m just gonna shoot in the first ten seconds, I’m not. I’m gonna stand with him, and I’m gonna put it on him… He’s more of a boxer with leg kicks, and I’m an MMA striker,” Pimblett revealed his plans.

The bout is shaping up to be one of the more intriguing matchups for early 2026, with unusual shifts in game plans that could either land them in a title fight against Ilia Topuria or end up in a disaster. Who do you believe has the edge—Gaethje or Pimblett?