Paddy Pimblett, after his recent victory over Michael Chandler at UFC 314—the most stacked card of the year—has firmly established himself among the “elite” in the lightweight division. But the question remains: Is he ready to challenge the reigning lightweight champion, Islam Makhachev? Recently, Team Khabib and Islam Makhachev have been in the spotlight, partly due to their decision to avoid a fight with former featherweight champion Ilia Topuria, opting instead to let Topuria prove himself against other top contenders in the lightweight division.

Meanwhile, Team Khabib has focused on facing fighters like Justin Gaethje and Charles Oliveira. In a recent appearance on the ‘Javier & Mo Show’ on YouTube, American Kickboxing Academy head coach Javier Mendez weighed in on the topic. When asked about Paddy Pimblett’s potential title shot and whether he’s ready to face someone like Makhachev, Mendez responded positively.

He acknowledged Paddy’s undefeated streak in the UFC and highlighted his impressive credentials, stating, “Paddy is ready to face anybody. I mean, look at what he’s done already—his credentials, his winning record in the UFC, and his hype. What he can do and how he can motivate people, he deserves the next title shot if they give it to him. Whoever they give him, they give. Let’s see who they match him up with next when he gets into the arena. Is he worthy? Yes. He has the whole of England and America behind him.”

But Mendez’s support didn’t come out of nowhere. Even last year, Islam Makhachev himself showed interest in facing Paddy Pimblett—on one condition: If he breaks into the top 10. At that time, the reigning champion said, “When he deserves, why not? If he wins his next couple of fights and gets into the top 10, why not? I don’t have many exciting fights left in the division—we need new names.”

Now, with Paddy riding a wave of momentum and being ranked #8 in the new rankings, fans are watching closely to see if a title shot could be next. That leaves us with one burning question—how soon can Paddy Pimblett realistically challenge for the lightweight crown? Let’s take a closer look.

What’s Paddy Pimblett’s timeline to threaten the Islam Makhachev regime?

“Islam’s got a new contender,” wrote Belal Muhammad on X after Paddy Pimblett stunned the MMA world with a third-round knockout of Michael Chandler at UFC 314. The explosive finish didn’t just make waves in the lightweight division—it also served as a wake-up call to Islam Makhachev and Team Khabib. For ‘The Baddy’, this victory was always part of a bigger plan. Long before stepping into the Octagon, the Liverpudlian had already charted his course. Taking a break was never an option. Since his UFC debut, he’s stayed undefeated and has every intention of keeping that streak alive. With his win over Chandler, he’s now firmly in the running among the top contenders.

Speaking to TNT Sports before the fight, Paddy Pimblett shared his roadmap for success: “When I got asked to do a five-round fight, they weren’t sure if I’d say yes. But yeah, obviously, as he’s getting finished in two, it doesn’t matter how many it’s scheduled for. Everyone can expect a finish come April 12. The plan is to beat Michael Chandler, then fight again in Abu Dhabi in October. Hopefully, I’ll fight someone in the top four or five. And then I can ask for a title shot in 2026.”

What’s your take on a potential Paddy Pimblett vs. Islam Makhachev clash? Is Coach Javier Mendez right in saying Paddy is ready for the champ? Let us know your thoughts below.