Dana White has opened the door to putting Paddy Pimblett and Ilia Topuria opposite each other on The Ultimate Fighter, but the UFC CEO stopped well short of announcing either a season or a fight.

During the UFC 332 post-fight press conference in Salt Lake City, White was asked about Pimblett's proposal to coach against his longtime rival. His answer made clear that the concept has appeal inside the promotion—even if the UFC's wider lightweight plans will decide whether it becomes reality.

Video: UFC's official, embeddable UFC 332 post-fight press conference. White's answer begins at approximately 31:39.

White likes the pitch, with conditions

“I love the idea of that,” White said. “But a lot of things determine how things play out—not just for The Ultimate Fighter, but certain fights and title fights and all these. I don't know. We'll see how the timing plays out, but that would definitely be a good one.”

That is an endorsement of the concept, not confirmation. White did not announce coaches, filming dates, a finale, or a Pimblett-Topuria bout. His emphasis on timing suggests the UFC first has to settle other moving parts near the top of the lightweight division.

The distinction matters because the rivalry is marketable enough to make every favorable comment sound like a booking. For now, the most accurate reading is that White is interested and the UFC is keeping the option available.

Pimblett wants six weeks to turn up the pressure

Pimblett floated the TUF plan in an interview with Kolos MMA. He said he currently has no fight booked, wants Topuria next, and believes six weeks together as rival coaches would let him get under Topuria's skin before they meet in the Octagon.

The Liverpool contender went further, predicting that the buildup would help him beat Topuria as quickly as Conor McGregor stopped José Aldo. It was classic Pimblett: part callout, part television pitch and part psychological warfare.

The idea also solves a criticism attached to recent TUF seasons. A season featuring two active lightweights with a genuine grudge could end with a relevant fight, rather than relying on retired coaches who were never expected to compete against one another.

Why the matchup remains compelling

Pimblett and Topuria have traded insults for years, and their hostility has spilled beyond ordinary promotional talk. The image of the two jawing face-to-face after UFC 317 remains the clearest visual of a rivalry that has never been settled in a sanctioned fight.

Their competitive positions now make the matchup easier to imagine. Topuria is coming off the first loss of his professional career after Justin Gaethje took the lightweight title from him. Pimblett, meanwhile, rebounded with a first-round submission of Benoît Saint Denis at UFC 329. Both men remain major names in a division with several plausible title paths.

A TUF season would give the UFC weeks of television built around authentic tension. The downside is time: filming and airing the show could delay both fighters while the championship picture develops. White's response reflected exactly that tension—strong promotional upside, but no promise that the schedule will cooperate.

What happens next

The UFC has not formally booked Pimblett vs. Topuria, and neither man was announced for a new season of The Ultimate Fighter. Until that changes, White's comments should be treated as serious interest rather than a green light.

Still, “that would definitely be a good one” is more encouragement than the idea had before UFC 332. If the lightweight title picture leaves both rivals without a more immediate assignment, the UFC now has an obvious way to turn years of bad blood into one of TUF's most anticipated modern seasons.