PADDY PIMBLETT Shelves 2026: "I CAN GET FAT" — TOPURIA Waits
“It'll probably be next year now, so I can get fat over Christmas.”
The Baddy told iFL TV he will "get fat over Christmas" and return to camp in January, shelving a third fight in 2026.
"I'll enjoy my Christmas dinner and then get back into camp."
Paddy Pimblett just closed the book on 2026. The 31-year-old told iFL TV he will "get fat over Christmas" and return to training in January, ending his loud campaign for a third fight this year.
This matters because the lightweight division's biggest rivalry is stuck in neutral. Pimblett's five-year feud with Ilia Topuria is the sport's loudest unresolved beef, and with both men currently unbooked, every month of waiting builds the pressure for the UFC to finally make it.
The Quote That Said It All
"At the minute, I don't know," Pimblett said when asked for a return update on Saturday night. "It'll probably be next year now, so I can get fat over Christmas. Loads of scran over the next couple of days and weeks. I'll enjoy my Christmas dinner and then get back into camp."
The honesty is pure Paddy. After begging the UFC for one more fight in 2026, he is reading the room and taking the holidays off instead.
"It'll probably be next year now, so I can get fat over Christmas."
The Road Back
Pimblett opened the year losing a Fight of the Year contender to Justin Gaethje at UFC 324 in January. He answered in July, choking out Benoit Saint-Denis in 52 seconds on the McGregor comeback card at UFC 329.
That rebound put him at No. 5 in the division and had him campaigning loudly for a third outing. The UFC never bit.
What Comes Next
The options are spicy. Topuria and Arman Tsarukyan are both unbooked, and one of them is expected to get the next lightweight title shot. Whoever misses out looks like the obvious dance partner for Paddy.
Charles Oliveira and Diego Lopes fight for the BMF belt at UFC 335 on December 12. Pimblett could face that winner if the Topuria or Tsarukyan matchups fail to come together.
So the Baddy eats, rests, and waits. The question is whether Topuria is still standing across from him when camp starts in January.
