Ilia Topuria has sharply criticized Paddy Pimblett’s recent Octagon appearance.
The rivalry between Topuria and Pimblett, which began in 2022, has escalated from verbal exchanges to a heated feud involving physical altercations and ongoing online back-and-forth.
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 fight.
Pimblett came close to securing this opportunity during Topuria’s temporary absence due to personal matters. The UFC introduced an interim lightweight title at UFC 324 in January, with Pimblett scheduled to face Justin Gaethje.
However, Gaethje disrupted Pimblett’s plans, securing a dominant unanimous decision win to claim the interim belt. This victory sets him up for a unification bout against Topuria.
Ilia Topuria is now slated to headline UFC Freedom 250 against Justin Gaethje on June 14. The event will be held on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, D.C.
Ilia Topuria Suggests Paddy Pimblett Is Not Ready for Elite Level
In a recent interview on The Ariel Helwani Show, Ilia Topuria suggested that a fight against Paddy Pimblett would have been more compelling than facing Justin Gaethje, given their history.
The reigning UFC lightweight champion expressed his dissatisfaction with Pimblett’s performance at UFC 324, stating 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 commented that while Pimblett might recover from the loss, he questioned the Scouser’s ability to acquire the necessary skills and techniques to compete at the highest level of 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.”
