Islam Makhachev has a few ideas on who current lightweight champion Ilia Topuria should be fighting next, but he’s even more convinced about one person who shouldn’t get it – the No.6 ranked Paddy Pimblett.

“I feel Arman has to be next because this guy deserves it,” Makhachev told ESPN. “He did a mistake when he was supposed to fight with me. He was injured, he did not come to weigh in, but he’s still No. 1 in the division and he have to fight for the title.

“Maybe Arman, maybe [Justin] Gaethje, but not Paddy, for sure.”

The former lightweight king, who vacated the belt earlier this year in order to challenge welterweight champion Jack Della Maddalena at UFC 322 next month, then went on to elaborate on how Pimblett hasn’t earned a title opportunity yet.

“Paddy beat who?” Makhachev said. “Tony Ferguson? Who else he beat? [Michael] Chandler? Everybody beat Chandler.

“He can do some things, but I don’t see a big chance,” Makhachev added regarding Pimblett getting the next title shot. “I don’t know, maybe, honestly it’s not a big challenge for Topuria. Arman is a really big deal. If he beats Arman, because Arman has good skills striking, wrestling, grappling, he’s a good fighter. Paddy, nobody checked Paddy before.”

Makhachev then went on signal his interest in a potential super-fight between himself and Topuria at the UFC: White House event in June next year.

“Now I don’t know who’s going to be next for Ilia,” Makhachev said. “If you’re talking about our fight, I have a good fight now and I know he’s going to fight soon and we’ll see what’s going to happen. He wants to fight at the White House and I also want to be there.”

“For the MMA community, it’s going to be a big fight. People want this fight and if UFC wants this fight, then we can do this. … I know UFC wants to do some big fight in White House. Which fight is going to be bigger than this?”