# UFC champion Justin Gaethje not interested in Paddy Pimblett rematch

> **Open Intelligence Dossier** · First detected: 2026-07-15 21:07 UTC · Category: Sports

## Executive Summary
UFC champion Justin Gaethje shuts down calls for a rematch with Paddy Pimblett, favoring a potential clash between Pimblett and Ilia Topuria.

## Intelligence Brief
UFC lightweight champion Justin Gaethje has explicitly stated that he is not interested in a rematch with Paddy Pimblett. This development follows Pimblett's calls for a title rematch, which Gaethje has effectively dismissed. The champion's decision comes after a significant submission victory at UFC 329. While Pimblett has sought another opportunity at the gold, Gaethje has responded with skepticism regarding whether such a match is destined to happen, ultimately passing on the proposal to face the fighter again in the Octagon. Extensive coverage of this refusal has appeared across major combat sports outlets, including CBS Sports, MMA Fighting, and Sherdog.


Yahoo Sports and Yahoo Sports UK have highlighted Gaethje's dismissive response to the rematch requests. Meanwhile, MMA Junkie and Bloody Elbow report on Gaethje's specific assessment of the landscape, where he posits that Ilia Topuria is the more dangerous fighter. The reporting emphasizes a shift in focus from a Gaethje-Pimblett repeat to a hypothetical encounter between Topuria and Pimblett, which Gaethje views as a highly likely outcome for one party. Contextualizing the current dynamic, Justin Gaethje believes that Ilia Topuria would defeat Paddy Pimblett in 97 out of 100 instances. This prediction adds a layer of tension to the title picture following the events of UFC 329.


MMA Sucka has described a potential fight between Topuria and Pimblett as a perfect match to make. The stakes involve not just the champion's preferences, but the trajectory of Pimblett's career as he seeks a path back to a title shot despite Gaethje's lack of interest in providing that route. Future developments center on the willingness of other fighters to step in. Michael Bisping, as reported by MMA Junkie, Central Oregon Daily, and Bloody Elbow, has questioned whether Ilia Topuria actually desires a fight with Paddy Pimblett following Topuria's performance at UFC 329. Observers will be watching to see if Topuria accepts the challenge that Gaethje has essentially redirected toward him, or if Pimblett must find an alternative way to secure a high-profile bout now that the lightweight champion has shut down rematch talk.

## Multi-Source Evidence Table
| Source Outlet | Headline | Verification URL |
|---|---|---|
| Bloody Elbow | Justin Gaethje makes ’97 times out of 100′ prediction about Ilia Topuria vs. Paddy Pimblett | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiwgFBVV95cUxPWk1YbXdaU3FHaGoxNk8zNVFXMVlvd0F2ZG9SaEp2LUxOUFFyVmpZSDR3c1BfbGFCRmQ5NWxqZU8wYi00aGxwbXBYc19kT0ZnRTlYZDIwQ1YwXzFfVXlZMFV2M2FIZ2tXblE2LTdpU0JGWGxHTmZyTHdJaTNwTU1ya2FndFRmb3VmT0NCQVRLa0lRMDFhNnAxSVZQSlpxYTYyeWRBRnlSTGlGa0dsb3RlTjVTOHRYQjZFY2ZPdGR0VjBhdw?oc=5) |
| MMA Junkie | Michael Bisping questions Ilia Topuria's desire to fight Paddy Pimblett after UFC 329 | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMizgFBVV95cUxQcHNkSU1BazJRckRmQWlpbnZVQm4zNDRVTENXb2d3N2hfOXRtN0RUek51TVpPYmU2VUltQnNmb0hrMEg3bXpYX1N3d3VkQmRmOEtnbVNhNFdKNTNJTUhCY3ZuVU1vNVE5aHpITzFlbjhyMHpuZnRYRWc3cU9Sbm9YT2F4ZkJEamtwUy11V2lWWkVlTkw4VVlqR0ktMjJmWXVNZzFUX2JZS1hWSnJhUnh0NVJMQkduYzNCZ29UYUg2Um10TXBpcXdOZmwwbmljQQ?oc=5) |
| Sherdog | Justin Gaethje shuts down Paddy Pimblett rematch talk | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMimgFBVV95cUxPZGJsMml2VWtyQ3RycldnY29GZV9JNFNycHhwYnJldjh3bGotZTNBWGFhcTY5aFlpZFNQRXp5aUZSbU03dW44UkFzUXBmRFFpYWFLaV9QdGlYM0ZJaVV1dVc2c2NkQmlVUklwR2JHV2hqU0h5MDZSRXJEU1NQd2ozcGluVUVKYWRnUlE2cDBUcXpvbHRibWc3SEh30gGfAUFVX3lxTFBwQ1FfcVRjbXVfQ0U1cHF5akh1WEJjUXpxaVRXOUxzdTJKb1JhR1lnaU9wWTF4eDRhYjZ3b2xveGVkbk9GVkZObkwwNjB6emNyQlZILUthWlRhZ2hQSjJialpDTFBQQ3BoazZ1d1dYbUpiZUxMN1NBUWMwbWRtMW5hV1hhaVppLXZ0MERwczBXcVk2VmlZdnIwV29FZ1h5QQ?oc=5) |
| Yahoo Sports | Justin Gaethje responds to Paddy Pimblett’s calls for UFC title rematch: ‘Destined?’ | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMikAFBVV95cUxNUmxVXy1yNzViVnE0cFhkTDRCWmxyQTZOWGdaQ19kWndQRVFKeWY0bmtrV3kzNUUxS0JKU1RCUDJWeVVocmJpMGlJRkNtY0FFNlN6bHpmblNpTTZxNkJYZWc0a2JnblNjVnhiZ2hBTGRQLXBKcHlwLXg5Tmw2LWlsRlA2a2VaYjcydXNMSUtwcEE?oc=5) |
| Central Oregon Daily | Michael Bisping questions Ilia Topuria's desire to fight Paddy Pimblett after UFC 329 | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMihwJBVV95cUxObjJHQlFBYWdBN2dOWFplWXlpYjJlaHRSSlhldm9TN2RFZGp1WDdLeXpCOU9FZm45R0NZWWtTUkozSG9kdG41SHNGQXJ0X0dSZ3kxRHlib0tkMDczbGtXYlN4Y3lXcno5RmZyNXgxLWhSMktiU0s2MzRVQ0RqeGRmMHBKd0ZnUENUVmxYYTZqeHBtbjFvQnhVb1BCeE45eEtzQlk4R1h3QjVXQVUtdFpkMlBBQzFERHVtUGpPYlowRU02VzhTVGgwSF94Wlk5czdHZ0NmSDV1c25Ha2lhdXpFaXFRNUN2SThqejdMUHhZcDNENkk3QkhUcVNFaENVczFfWWtYLU5FSQ?oc=5) |
| Yahoo Sports | Justin Gaethje Comments on Potential Paddy Pimblett Rematch | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMikgFBVV95cUxPQjhTV051UTRjRjJ3SEhDMngtZWEwZ0hlQ1l3QjdNUUpiakVNNUlGdER2U05UMUU0SmdlY2NIdFFjMWJKVk1TNDN6N05GQkRWclNjLVQ5QnBHa1BucXpfUU40YUFhVmdwTG1paTg4UEc1SEVQQlVNYUJfUEZXaWZIcXFWUkljNk5rcUpRNWEzWWtjdw?oc=5) |
| Yahoo Sports UK | Michael Bisping questions Ilia Topuria's desire to fight Paddy Pimblett after UFC 329 | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMikAFBVV95cUxOTkVpci1FLW5FZTNRU2lPLWswZUZDSS13TDNIbnhyRmxLNDVhb3R0emJoRUc3Y01RMHdteGg1aFdZdExkUzVkd3FGS3ZRamJ1bk9mZm1wM2MwM2hsQzdHQWFWV2FyTW04bWVZaEFQbWRMRmhXSm90UkJtWmtHYjE1T1J2R3B0TURHd1M4YmZUZmc?oc=5) |
| Yahoo Sports | Pass! Justin Gaethje not interested in Paddy Pimblett rematch after mega UFC 329 submission win | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiiwFBVV95cUxNcF9odzA3M21GVDVuNlpIel9mcWlmd2lYTVAwX1hPU085STlyTXd5OFQ2ZmlUbEtKTDdOX05LVUdqTWtQbXh1el9OUzlLN3ZNN2tneVd3UElRd0NvaC1oUHlPVm1NcTZfTFNudXJCM2NrTTVWMXdYSUN4SWpRX0k1VDRmODVURmFTNlFN?oc=5) |
| MMA Sucka | Paddy Pimblett vs Ilia: Topuria A Perfect fight to make and why | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMilwFBVV95cUxQcl8tX0RFMkdScmxwazMyaFQ0SlUwN3BrNjRmVFM0eUF1eDJ3VXNKd3lGcTFBU0swbldrOFFQNFc4UXl3akpHalQwWEFxNTVwejdDOVFNalhCN0dUeVpJMkk3dGdfSTFmdlA1VWM1bF9VeTFOTlYzc0tqUDRrZGtyT1QxaWhjcFlROTBqSi1ISzRXNktYQm8w?oc=5) |
| Bloody Elbow | Ilia Topuria may not want Paddy Pimblett fight after what he did at UFC 329, says Michael Bisping | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMizAFBVV95cUxOVl9fQjkxZkRob0JRV0tmaVYycHpFMkRzNlY0TEpaUEowTFJ5bDhEWHBxVHZDWldTTWpwaWhQei0weXhDVUxCaF9mT3owQlZsdkdSdEt0emM1VTlHT01HdzRXRlNaaHl1NVBmaHZIQWVMS1NCb1dyaFN5cHhJVE55czNZa2JvRFU5bV9TTXdzYWszcnRxZ050ckZJcUYyYjM0ZEItanFQaF9nZEN5TWlBcjlhM2RIMHpiU25pdlR6U0x1SW5NOXc4MzdqR0g?oc=5) |
| MMA Junkie | Justin Gaethje: Topuria 'more dangerous,' beats Pimblett 97 out of 100 times | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMi_wFBVV95cUxQbmRROGYzRHVCZFMzZFMybzFYTWVnM2FYR1ZQaFlkaXQ5YnA2QlhQYXpJQ1NOUGVaTDRHZXZ6bHBsdTVURVJSUnRrLV9PZE9EQWkzRW8zTVlkbU5sRzF2bk9mUWswb0luUHBkQ3BGNHNuNFNoQk51X0w3MXp0QVFaMm85RUk0OG1MNDVTRl9tYnlMaTR0RWJwcFBZcVJmaEJLNEVyYVpfVGlCNHhKVmJLUHIwY1ZtM2FjOVYyNnBrdTBNbloxVnVJMmdkOGtkY2JRMnBXdS1CM1N5MjVHVEZyVXBrNThCdk9ZYVZaWElfN05iZzI2UmFHeW1hbzVrZ0E?oc=5) |
| CBS Sports | UFC lightweight champion Justin Gaethje not interested in a rematch with Paddy Pimblett | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMimwFBVV95cUxPMWU4bzExZElzLVl1WDgwemZwYm9raG04YzN0ZUFTRWUxOFVIbXUxbWZCLVlRaWtxY01nZ1F4RG9mYlhTV3MxdWN0RzJsaDhtcG0zdnRya2VKOG5DVXhtMzBoX3JXZU1YMTV3NENlblZjR3dRTXB0aVNaYlhhQ0Ewd2ZDUnRsSXdndE82M1NkWU5XWkF5TFdHRDh5RQ?oc=5) |
| MMA Fighting | UFC champion Justin Gaethje not interested in Paddy Pimblett rematch | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiqwFBVV95cUxOZVZFOEVqLVRMbmRfcVlBVHo3X1hWRm5LT0hNZEI4dmxyNXBJdkliRF9xLVNwLXBiZElSblBfZlBGbWUwdHJQMXRMNDM3QnV3SzRwaUNHWUxnYjUxUTYwQ0owOEVadXpQY3FUakx1c2pQUzV0VFF6di12TEtXQUxZMzhiVHQtRjZsZXB5dElVQzEwa3pmODY0MEd3b1VfU19fZ0ZkZzh4c0tibVU?oc=5) |

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*Canonical Source: https://pulse.byoviral.com/trend/2026-07-15/ufc-champion-justin-gaethje-not-interested-in-paddy-pimblett-rematch*