Ilia Topuria has voiced his strong disapproval of Paddy Pimblett’s most recent UFC appearance.
The rivalry between Topuria and Pimblett, which began in 2022, has escalated from verbal sparring to a heated contention, marked by a physical altercation and ongoing exchanges on social media and in interviews.
Following Topuria’s first-round knockout victory over Charles Oliveira at UFC 317 to claim the lightweight title, he and Pimblett had a face-to-face encounter in the Octagon, hinting at a potential future bout. Pimblett was close to securing this opportunity during Topuria’s temporary absence due to personal matters. The promotion then established an interim title at UFC 324 in January and scheduled Pimblett to face Justin Gaethje.
However, Justin Gaethje proved to be a significant obstacle for “The Baddy,” securing a decisive unanimous decision win to claim the interim belt. This victory positioned Gaethje for a unification fight against Topuria.
Ilia Topuria is now slated to face Justin Gaethje in the main event of UFC Freedom 250 on June 14. The fight is scheduled to take place on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, D.C.
Ilia Topuria Suggests Paddy Pimblett Lacks Elite-Level Skills
In a recent interview on The Ariel Helwani Show, Ilia Topuria commented that a fight with Paddy Pimblett would have been more compelling due to their history, particularly in comparison to a bout with Justin Gaethje.
The reigning UFC lightweight champion expressed his disappointment with Pimblett’s performance at UFC 324, stating that it did not meet his expectations.
“I was a little surprised at how bad Paddy really is,” Ilia Topuria stated. “I was expecting him to win, to be honest. I was expecting him to take Justin down, to do a different fight. What he did inside the Octagon in that fight, it surprised me a little bit. He really proved that he’s a little sausage.”
Topuria further suggested that while Pimblett might recover from the loss, he questioned whether Pimblett possesses the necessary skills to contend with the top fighters in the division.
“Rebound from a loss? Of course, but how is he going to gain the skills and techniques needed in the sport? That’s basically impossible. He needs to die and be born again… Now he’s too far [in the rankings], we don’t see him in the horizon anymore. Bye Paddy. I didn’t even have to step inside the octagon to beat him, so that feels even a little bit better.”
