UFC Lightweight Champion Ilia Topuria wants to face Paddy Pimblett or Islam Makhachev next, as he ruled out fights against Arman Tsarukyan and Justin Gaethje.

Topuria secured the vacant lightweight title, which was vacated by Makhachev, by stopping Charles Oliveira at UFC 317 in June. The champion is looking for his next bout, with initial reports suggesting he could headline the UFC’s first card under their new Paramount+ broadcast deal that begins in January. However, so far, that appears unlikely with Topuria saying he has not been approached.

“Well, at the moment, the truth is that I haven’t had any kind of approach from the UFC. I haven’t been told anything about any fights, so I have nothing on the horizon,” Ilia said

Once a date is agreed, Ilia wants either Paddy or Makhachev. Ilia and Pimblett have bad blood after Paddy infamously threw a hand sanitizer bottle at him at a UFC London fighter hotel in 2022, and later called Topuria the ‘Hand Sanitizor Boy.’ Pimblett has since then claimed that Topuria did not sign a contract for the fight.

The problem with the Pimblett fight is that Arman and Gaethje are also waiting in the wings. Arman is the leading contender in the division, something he proved when he submitted Dan Hooker at UFC Qatar last weekend as he called out Ilia. Elsewhere, Justin has said he will retire if he is not given a title shot next. Both Arman (ranked number 1) and Justin (fourth) are higher ranked than Paddy, who is fifth.

🔥 Ilia Topuria open to fighting Islam at catchweight — even for a new Pound-for-Pound belt 🏆

“If UFC won’t let me move up to welterweight to fight Islam, maybe they’ll create a new belt called the Pound-for-Pound title at a catchweight, so I’ll fight for that Pound-for-Pound… pic.twitter.com/q7JXBUkJMz

— Red Corner MMA (@RedCorner_MMA) November 25, 2025

“I have Paddy on my mind. I’d like to fight Paddy [Pimblett] if they don’t let me move up to welterweight to fight Islam [Makhachev], because the fight I’d really like is against Islam in the third weight class,” Topuria said

Meanwhile, a fight with Makhachev allows Topuria to pursue a belt in a third weight class if he moves up to welterweight. Makhachev recently moved up from lightweight to welterweight to beat Jack Della Maddalena at UFC 322 this month to become the UFC Welterweight Champion. The win made him a two-weight world champion, adding to his previous lightweight belt. Islam has said that his future is at welterweight, something his coach Khabib Nurmagomedov also supports.

That means any Topuria fight would require one of them to make a concession, either Islam moves back down at the age of 34, or Ilia moves up having only had one fight at lightweight. Makhachev stated his willingness to face Topuria at lightweight hinges on the financial incentive due to the strenuous weight cut.

“It would have to be a very good offer for me to start cutting back to 155lbs, because I’m not young in this sport anymore, and every weight cut takes years off your health, it’s not as easy as before to cut weight,” Makhachev said 

“Maybe they’ll create a new belt called the ‘pound-for-pound’ at a catchweight, where we [Ilia and Islam] both meet and fight for that title,” Topuria stated