UFC 324 didn’t collapse around Paddy Pimblett; instead, it tested him loudly and repeatedly. What followed was exactly the kind of car crash everyone signed up for: chaos, pressure, momentum swings, and moments where belief alone had to do the heavy lifting. Pimblett fought like a man possessed who refused to back down. Justin Gaethje brought power, composure, and the ability to transform brief openings into fight-altering damage.

Even after everything was over, the noise didn’t vanish. It changed shape. The loss was not embarrassing or disqualifying for the Scouser at all. Paddy Pimblett walked out of Las Vegas, still popular, marketable, and possibly as the next Zombie in the UFC locker room. However, he finds himself clearly at a crossroads. One road leads to recalibration and patience. The other continues to push straight into the fire. So, what’s next for him?

Arman Tsarukyan and the merit-based collision after UFC 324

If the UFC seeks answers rather than optics, Arman Tsarukyan is the unavoidable choice. ‘Ahalkalakets’ has been vocal about being passed over for title opportunities despite staying at the top of the rankings, and fans have increasingly rallied around him as the fighter who should have competed for the interim belt.

And throughout fight week, Paddy Pimblett didn’t even try to avoid that narrative. He addressed it directly, saying, “That’s annoying me, people saying, ‘You’re ducking, Arman.’ I’ve never been offered to fight Arman. If I ever got offered to fight Arman, I would have punched his head in by now. He irritates me. He’s an absolute helmet.”

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He’s also tied that willingness directly to the division’s stagnation, saying, “Yeah, I’d fight Arman in a heartbeat if Ilia can’t come back by June/July; then he needs stripping. He’s slowing the division down, and I’ll defend against Arman or Max or Charles or whoever. I don’t care.”

Win or lose, a bout like this will remove all the doubts surrounding Paddy Pimblett and his legitimacy as the man who fought for the interim lightweight title (If you are already not convinced by his UFC 324 performance). If he wins, he proves he was better than Arman Tsaurkyan all along. If he loses, fans finally get an “I told you so” moment with Dana White. And let’s not forget that the winner also becomes eligible as the next title challenger.

A marquee reset against Charles Oliveira or Max Holloway

The Arman Tsarukyan path keeps Paddy Pimblett in the biggest possible conversations. The winner of Max Holloway vs. Charles Oliveira provides relevance without immediate title pressure, and Oliveira’s team has already made it clear where they stand.

The Brazilian coach, Diego Lima, openly highlighted the appeal of combining momentum fights. As he told MMA Fighting, “Let’s assume, best-case scenario, that Charles gets a win over Holloway and is injury-free, so he can come out ‘fresh’ for the next fight. Why not take advantage of the fact that these two fights will be all over social media and pair them up straight to the White House? Anything can happen.”

Lima did not hide the commercial reasoning, either. He highlighted why Pimblett stands out by stating, “[Pimblett] must sell a lot. If he didn’t, he wouldn’t be fighting for the belt, so that’s very important for us.” While he admits it wouldn’t be a rematch as with Justin Gaethje, but a new bout with ‘Do Bronx’, possibly holding the BMF title.

For Pimblett, this route reframes a loss into a spotlight fight rather than a step back. This will also be an answer to fans who always claimed ‘The Baddy’ reached the top without ever facing the elites of the division. A fight and a win against Charles Oliveira or Max Holloway should be the key to another lightweight title shot.

Dan Hooker and a feud that won’t cool off

Then there’s the option that abandons calculation entirely. Dan Hooker offers a fight fueled by anger and resentment, not rankings. Their feud has become deeply personal, and neither side seems willing to back down. Following Paddy Pimblett’s initial comments about the tragic passing of his friend, ‘The Hangman’ answered with intent.

He said, “F— around and find out, brother. You want to take it there? There’s shit you don’t talk about as fighters. You go low, I go lower.” Hooker later made it clear this wasn’t promotional posturing either. “He genuinely pissed me off. I’ve got no intention of making up. There’s no coming back from that,” the lightweight stated.

That type of hatred sells itself in the UFC. For Paddy Pimblett, it’s an opportunity to convert chaos into momentum. A loss at UFC 324 didn’t end Paddy Pimblett’s rise. It forced a choice. Star power with Charles Oliveira or Max Holloway. Validation against Arman Tsarukyan. Or sheer hostility with Dan Hooker. Whatever happens next will not only put him to the test but will also determine which version of him the UFC is willing to bank on.