A lightweight title clash between current champion Ilia Topuria and Paddy Pimblett could well be the fight that UFC has in mind for their first big event on Paramount+ in January of next year, but doubts still remain as to whether it will actually happen.

“It’s very possible,” Topuria confirmed during a press conference in Georgia when asked if he could headline a Paramount+ event in January.

Topuria went on to confirm that Pimblett is an opponent he his firmly in his sights.

“I definitely want to fight Paddy because of our history,” Topuria said.

Meanwhile, Pimblett has turned up the heat on his rival by questioning why the fight isn’t booked yet.

“Paddy why hasnt [Hand Sanitizer Boy] signed the contract yet?” Pimblett wrote on Instagram using a nickname he has for Topuria.

That suggests the fight is still not a done deal for Topuria, with the likes of Justin Gaethje still being potential alternatives for him.

However, the star has admitted that his dream fight is actually against Islam Makhachev, who vacated the lightweight title he now owns in order to challenge Jack Della Maddalena at UFC 322 in November, but he sees that as more of a blockbuster match-up for the UFC: White House event in June of next year.

“Islam Makhachev,” Topuria said of his desired opponent for the White House event. “I think it would be one of the biggest fights in UFC history: no one has ever fought for a third title, and Islam has dominantly finished everything he needed to do in his division and then changed weight classes. I think it’s a fight of a giant magnitude, which suits us all, as well as the UFC.”