Ilia Topuria believes Paddy Pimblett accomplished what was necessary against a less formidable opponent during their UFC 314 match.
In the co-main event held in Miami, Pimblett demonstrated dominance and ultimately defeated Michael Chandler in the third round, extending his unblemished record to 7-0 within the octagon. Topuria and Pimblett have a long-standing and intense rivalry. During his appearance on the Joe Rogan Experience podcast, Topuria shared his reaction to Pimblett`s performance.
“He performed admirably,” Topuria commented on Pimblett’s fight. “He executed what he needed to, but in my opinion… and I want to be completely frank, Chandler has never struck me as an exceptional fighter. I’d categorize him as an average competitor. Who has he actually defeated in the UFC? …”
“So, he secured wins against Dan Hooker and Tony Ferguson, but that was when Ferguson was nearing 40 years of age.”
Topuria was a significant point of discussion at UFC 314 after he officially relinquished his featherweight title. Alexander Volkanovski subsequently claimed the vacant title in the main event against Diego Lopes. The undefeated Topuria is now transitioning to the lightweight division, with his sights set on a potential match against Islam Makhachev for the 155-pound championship in his next fight.
Regarding Chandler, Topuria acknowledges the former Bellator champion`s crowd-pleasing style, but emphasizes that this alone is insufficient for achieving true greatness in the sport.
“Ultimately, you witness brawls,” Topuria stated. “It’s a highly aggressive fight. It resembles more of a street fight. You see two individuals in the center of the octagon just exchanging blows, but you don’t observe refined technique or skill.”
“It might be an exciting spectacle for the fans, as these kinds of fights are very entertaining to watch. However, upon closer examination, you don`t see skillful execution. You don’t see attempts at takedowns, control, impressive submissions, smooth transitions, or calculated striking – you don’t see a fighter working combinations, seeking openings, and creating opportunities. …”
“It`s just a display of wild aggression… and that has its place. You need fighters like him. … However, I would never advise someone to, ‘Watch this fighter if you want to learn something.’”
