Terrance McKinney claims a Paddy Pimblett matchup could fall in March: “I’ve been hearing in the grapevine and I think it’s next.”

UFC lightweight, Terrance McKinney, expects to face Paddy Pimblett in the coming months of 2023.

Following UFC 282 and the events that surrounded it, Pimblett’s star has taken a significant hit. The 28-year-old began to fight week with an explosive podcast with UFC President, Dana White, in which the pair would lambast MMA journalist Ariel Helwani.

The duo would call Helwani a ‘rodent’, ‘a piece of s**t’ and a ‘maggot’, all while making claims about the Canadian. Helwani would soon respond to the duo, equipped with receipts, the 40-year-old would quickly prove Pimblett a liar and his behavior out of line.

Pimblett would then face Jared Gordon later that week in a fight that would eventually be bumped up to the co-main spot of the PPV. The Liverpudlian would underwhelm, getting caught with his chin high, Pimblett by most estimation clearly lost the fight when the final buzzer went.

To everyone’s shock, Pimblett would eventually be awarded a majority decision victory. His reaction to the fight would also leave some with a bad taste in their mouths, shrugging off any notation of a robbery while claiming ‘that fight wasn’t even close’.

Paddy Pimblett could face Terrance McKinney

While Gordon is a solid fighter and a good step up for Pimblett, he was not the biggest finishing threat. This is not true for Pimblett’s next potential opponent.

Discussion of Pimblett squaring off with Terrance McKinney has gone on for some time now, but it seems like the matchup will happen sooner rather than later.

Talking on The MMA Hour, McKinney, not before taking a dig about Pimblett’s recent performance, said that the pair could be matched up as soon as March.

“Yeah (he did impress me), the way he blocked Jared’s chin is very impressive. That’s crazy (he thought it was a dominant win), he must’ve been hanging out with Sean O’Malley a lot or something. He thinks he’s still undefeated. I think they’ll get it done after this fight, for sure.”

“I’m doing him a favor, I’m cutting weight twice super close together, you know,” stated Terrance McKinney. “This is his best chance to ever beat me… I’ve been hearing a little bit in the grapevine and I think it’s next. It’s definitely going to be in March, and if I don’t get Paddy, we want a ranked opponent in April. So, let’s go.”

McKinney is a dynamic finisher, whose wins all come in the first round and has shown the ability to end the fight on the feet or the mat.

Who have you got, Paddy Pimblett or Terrance McKinney?