Though UFC 329 ended in rather underwhelming fashion, it did create some exciting potential fight scenarios for the lightweight division. Last month, the division crowned a new champion as Justin Gaethje defeated Ilia Topuria, and the aftermath of this event will help determine his next challenger.
With one of the UFC’s most exciting divisions still ablaze, here are three intriguing lightweight fights to make in the near future.
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Paddy Pimblett vs. Arman Tsarukyan
Jul 11, 2026; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Paddy Pimblett (blue gloves) celebrates after defeating Benoit Saint Denis (red gloves) in a lightweight bout during UFC 329 at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
The co-main event of UFC 329 saw the #9 ranked lightweight, Paddy Pimblett, defeat Benoit Saint Denis via a devastating choke submission. With this win, he bounced back from his loss against Gaethje earlier this year. Though the champion most likely will not fight again this year, Pimblett can put himself in a position to be the next contender when he returns in 2027.
A fight between Pimblett and the #2 ranked Arman Tsarukyan could end any doubt of who deserves the next title opportunity.
Paddy has now won four of his last five fights, with three of those wins being decided by submission or TKO. He is also quickly becoming a fan favorite amongst the UFC’s audience for his charisma and toughness.
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Meanwhile, Tsarukyan holds a five-fight winning streak that includes victories over # 11 ranked Dan Hooker and #3 ranked Charles Oliveria. He was scheduled to challenge Islam Makhachev for the lightweight championship at UFC 311, but had to pull out due to medical issues.
With both fighters surging towards the top of the division, a matchup between the two makes sense. Pimblett v. Tsarukyan could serve as a title eliminator, putting two of the division’s best grapplers toe-to-toe.
Max Holloway vs. Mauricio Ruffy
Jul 11, 2026; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Max Holloway celebrates after defeating Conor McGregor (not pictured) during UFC 329 at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
With Conor McGregor potentially tearing his ACL (anterior cruciate ligament), a trilogy fight with #4 ranked Max Holloway is very unlikely. Instead, Holloway should move back down to lightweight to fight # 10 ranked Mauricio Ruffy.
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Ruffy is coming off an impressive performance where he knocked out Michael Chandler at UFC Freedom 250. Additionally, he also knocked out Rafael Fiziev at UFC 325, showcasing that he is one of the best strikers in the division.
A fight between Holloway and Ruffy would put two entertaining stand-up competitors against each other, which is guaranteed to result in fireworks.
Some may question why Holloway would fight someone beneath him in the UFC rankings, as he is the last man to defeat the current champion. While this is a fair criticism, Max did lose to Oliveira a few months ago in his last fight at lightweight.
Since Holloway lost his last lightweight fight in a lopsided manner, he may have to defend his position against a rising fighter before getting a championship fight.
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Ilia Topuria vs. Charles Oliveira II
Jun 28, 2025; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Ilia Topuria (red gloves) reacts after the fight against Charles Oliveira (blue gloves) during UFC 317 at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images
Though neither of these fighters competed at UFC 329, the event has aligned them with the opportunity for a rematch. Both Oliveira and Topuria currently sit within the top five of the UFC lightweight rankings and will likely need another win before earning another shot at the championship.
Since his defeat to Topuria at UFC 317, Oliveira has won back-to-back fights against two fighters in the lightweight top ten, Holloway and Mateusz Gamrot. While those two wins were very impressive, he is currently ranked below Tsarukyan and may get leapfrogged by Pimblett when the rankings get updated.
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Oliveira also lost to Tsarukyan at UFC 300, and it would be too early to revisit that matchup, as Arman hasn’t lost since.
Then, for Topuria, he is unlikely to get an immediate rematch with Gaethje, as he didn’t successfully defend the championship once. So, he will need to win against a top contender at lightweight before battling for the title again.
Also, the potential Oliveira v. Topuria rematch makes the most sense for the current trend of the division. After the damage he took at UFC Freedom 250, Ilia may not fight for the rest of the year, which could make this fight happen early next year.
End Of My UFC Lightweight Rant
The UFC’s lightweight division has always been one of the most thrilling weight classes and, in its current shape, that looks set to continue. Though the division lacks a clear next title contender, these fights could take place to solve that problem while moving the weight class forward.
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Pimblett vs. Tsarukyan could determine an immediate challenger. Topuria vs. Oliveira II would establish the second contender. Holloway vs. Ruffy will help shape the future of the division.
Either way, if Gaethje decides to continue fighting, there will be several rematches and fresh matchups awaiting his return.
The post UFC 329 Fallout: 3 Massive Lightweight Fights To Make Next appeared first on Stadium Rant.
