Remember the days leading to UFC 314? Amid growing anticipation for the fight between the then-No. 7 ranked Michael Chandler and No. 12 ranked Paddy Pimblett, Robert Whittaker had actively rooted for the English fighter. “I definitely think Paddy can win. I think he has a path to victory. I expect Paddy to start beating him with volume. If Chandler goes for a lazy takedown, Paddy, his submission game is super underrated. That’s how I feel about the fight. I’ve got Paddy winning,” Whittaker had said. It could not have been more true.

Pimblett ran through Chandler in a one-sided beatdown. In Whittaker’s words, “He didn’t just beat Chandler, he pieced him apart.” That win shot Paddy straight into the top 10. Now, everyone is dreaming that the Liverpudlian is only one win away from challenging Islam Makhachev for the lightweight gold. Paddy, in his stellar post-fight callout, has been very clear out of the four names, he wants Charles Oliveira next. However, Robert Whittaker believes there’s a better choice.

Arman Tsarukyan’s fierce style made everyone take notice. Many saw him as the top threat to Islam Makhachev. He even holds a solid win over Charles Oliveira. That victory pushed him into the title conversation. But fate didn’t play fair. Tsarukyan was ruled out at the last moment from UFC 311 due to a back injury. ‘Ahalkalakets’ was ready, but things changed fast.

UFC replaced him with Renato Moicano. ‘Money’ didn’t even manage to put up a fight against the Dagestani powerhouse at UFC 311. Now, the Georgian is also looking for a comeback fight as the head honcho has already declared that he needs to climb his way back. And since ‘The Baddy’ also put on a show last weekend, ‘The Reaper’ believes that’s the fight to make.

Whittaker, on the MMA Arcade Podcast, said, “I wanna see him fight Arman. I think Oliveira is a good fight for him. Better fight than Arman. But, I’d love to see Arman. I loved how he called him a helmet. I’m so for that fight, dude! Honestly, I think Arman is the right decision.

“Because, especially if you want to fight against Makhachev. You need to work against somebody [like him]. It’s such a good segue into fighting Makhachev if that makes sense. And honestly, beating Arman gets him the fight with Makhachev. He’s potentially one fight away from he title.

“Mate! Paddy’s outstanding! I’ve been on his bandwagon since he came back. From like, he never left.” Whittaker further added.

The former middleweight champ nailed it. Tsarukyan might not be a big name with casual fans, but he’s a real problem. Right now, people are pairing Paddy with names like Justin Gaethje, Dustin Poirier, or Charles Oliveira. But Arman Tsarukyan, who also made it onto Paddy’s callout list, that could be just as tough, maybe even tougher.

Beating someone like Gaethje might raise questions. Is Paddy only taking on strikers? That narrative would flip if he beats Tsarukyan or Oliveira; either win would make him a serious title contender. And then there are the whispers that Ilia Topuria might be in line for a shot at Oliveira. If that happens, Paddy vs. Arman should be the fight to make.

So, we’re talking matchmaking now. And the UFC head honcho will have the final say, no doubt. But Dustin Poirier is throwing his hat in the ring, too. The fighter might be a big name, but let’s be real—he may or may not be the best next step for Paddy Pimblett.

Dustin Poirier names Dan Hooker as Paddy Pimblett’s next fight

Paddy Pimblett’s win over Michael Chandler at UFC 314 was nothing short of a spectacle. Now, the buzz is all about who he should face next. A former champion or a top-five lightweight makes perfect sense at this point. Dustin Poirier tossed an interesting name into the mix—Dan Hooker.

Paddy has shown interest in fighting Hooker before, but we’ll have to wait and see if he still feels the same. Meanwhile, Hooker gave his take in a Submission Radio interview. He thinks Tsarukyan vs. Paddy is the fight to make. But ‘The Diamond’? He sees it differently.

Poirier while talking to MMA Junkie said, “Paddy went out there and dropped the first round, came back confident, hit Chandler with big shots, I mean, took him down, who would’ve had that on their bingo card? Paddy is the real deal… You have to take him for real now… His next fight has to be a really big one. For me as a fan, put him in there with Dan Hooker. That would be an incredible fight. The build-up would be fun. Dan’s gonna stand and trade with him, Dan has good takedown defense, good on the ground, that’s the fight, I think.”

Do you think Arman Tsarukyan is a good choice for Paddy Pimblett’s next fight? Comment below.