Paddy Pimblett promises ‘The Ultimate Fighter’ season opposite Ilia Topuria would ‘bring the ratings back’

Paddy Pimblett has thrown his hat in the ring to revive The Ultimate Fighter, proposing a coaching matchup against featherweight-turned-lightweight Ilia Topuria that would culminate in an octagon showdown between the rivals.

The long-running UFC reality competition has seen its viewership decline significantly in recent years, overshadowed by Dana White's Contender Series and the saturation of UFC programming. Once a flagship program that launched the careers of numerous champions and built compelling narratives through coaching feuds, TUF has lost much of its cultural cachet. Pimblett believes his well-documented rivalry with Topuria could reverse that trend.

"I'd love to do The Ultimate Fighter," Pimblett said on social media. "I would have his head in the shed for six weeks. He wouldn't know where to look, he wouldn't know what to say, I'd have him feeling awkward constantly." The Liverpool fighter suggested such a season could match the ratings of TUF 10, when Rampage Jackson and Rashad Evans' intense feud drew major viewership, bolstered by the presence of street-fighting sensation Kimbo Slice.

Topuria and Pimblett have feuded for years, but never crossed paths due to competing at different weight classes—Topuria campaigned at featherweight before recently moving to lightweight, where he won and then lost the UFC title to Justin Gaethje. Pimblett, meanwhile, bounced back from his first UFC loss by submitting Benoit Saint Denis in 52 seconds at UFC 329. The lightweight contender argues that a TUF season featuring active fighters rather than retired coaches could breathe new life into the show. "If you're going to do a season of The Ultimate Fighter and you want coaches who are actually still fighting, do me vs. Ilia and we'll bring The Ultimate Fighter back," Pimblett said. "It'll be a reincarnation."