Paddy Pimblett might not fight in the UFC again for another five to six months.‘The Baddy’ is currently awaiting fight news from UFC brass after cementing his status as a lightweight title contender in his last fight.Pimblett secured his top five lightweight ranking with a quick submission of Saint Denis in JulyGettyPimblett submitted Benoit Saint Denis at UFC 329 in July, where Conor McGregor had a nightmare return to the sport, and is now just one fight away from challenging for gold again.In January, Pimblett unsuccessfully challenged Justin Gaethje for the interim lightweight title at UFC 324, suffering a unanimous decision after five gruelling rounds.Gaethje then became the undisputed champion by scoring a historic upset over former two-division king Ilia Topuria on the South Lawn of the White House in June.Topuria, who has shared a mutual hatred with Pimblett for years, is now the most likely next opponent for the Liverpudlian.He made a full return to training last month, having recovered from the nasty facial injuries he sustained in his defeat to Gaethje, and looks set to face Pimblett next.It would be one of the biggest UFC fights of all time, but MMA fans may have to wait a little longer to see it based on comments this week from Pimblett.What has Paddy Pimblett said about his next fight?Asked how close he was to announcing his next fight, Pimblett told All Out Fighting: “Not close.“I don’t know what’s happening at the minute — we’re going to have to find out.“All fighters in my division could be booked up. It’s Charles [Oliveira] vs [Diego] Lopes for the BMF [belt at UFC 335].“It looks like Arman [Tsarukyan] is fighting Justin. Then, there’s only Ilia and Max Holloway ranked above me.Former UFC featherweight and lightweight champion Topuria looks set to be Pimblett’s next opponent – but the fight may not be until March or April 2027Getty“I think Max is waiting for Conor [McGregor] to have that trilogy, so it’s only Ilia left, really, [meaning] we’re gonna have to see what happens over the next few months.”Pimblett eyes March or April UFC returnAfter losing his bout to Gaethje, talkSPORT’s No. 5 pound-for-pound fighter in the UFC, Pimblett declared he would never fight in the same month again.‘The Baddy’ said his preparations and weight cut for the UFC 324 clash ‘ruined’ his Christmas and birthday.So he says if he doesn’t get a fight booked this year, it won’t be until March or April when he returns.“If I don’t fight before the end of the year, it’ll be March or April,” Pimblett stated.And it’s very unlikely he will get a fight booked this year, given the final big events of the year, UFC 333, UFC 334, and UFC 335 are already full up.Pimblett and Topuria have been rivals for years now and a fight between them would be one of the biggest everGettyFurthermore, Pimblett’s opinion on the state of the lightweight division currently is pretty spot on.Oliveira is booked to face Lopes in the main event of UFC 335, Tsarukyan seems guaranteed to be the next lightweight title challenger, and Holloway has said he wants to wait for the McGregor trilogy.So this leaves Topuria as the obvious next opponent for Pimblett, which could sell out any arena in the world as a main event.Pimblett has also mentioned coaching against Topuria on the UFC’s reality TV show The Ultimate Fighter.And there would be plenty of time to film the entire show if he’s not back until March or April 2027.UFC ScheduleThere are still several blockbuster shows and exciting contests for fight fans to look forward to in 2026, and you can find the full list of all confirmed events and official bouts as part of talkSPORT.com’s UFC schedule.The UFC, on average, puts on 13 to 14 premium events in a calendar year, with up to 30 smaller ‘Fight Night’ cards allowing prospects and less experienced fighters to showcase their talents.On January 1, 2026, Dana White’s promotion signed a seven-year broadcast deal with CBS and Paramount+ for exclusive rights in the US, meaning the UFC has put on shows like never before this year.With the historic first event in the new Paramount era, UFC 324, delivering huge success, and a one-of-a-kind fight card at the White House in June opening up the UFC to a new audience, the promotion remains a premium global sports brand, and fans are eager to keep track of results and upcoming fights.