UFC lightweight contender Paddy Pimblett believes he’d be able to hand featherweight kingpin Ilia Topuria his first defeat in mixed martial arts.
Topuria returned to action this past weekend, headlining the UFC 308 pay-per-view in defense of his 145-pound gold. Eight months on from knocking out Alexander Volkanovski, “El Matador” was tasked with getting past Max Holloway in Abu Dhabi.
The Georgian-Spaniard did so emphatically, becoming the first to knock “Blessed” out to continue his ruie atop the featherweight mountain and stake a strong claim for Fighter of the Year in 2024.
The champ’s rise has been a rapid one, coming just a couple of years on from his name becoming more familiar owing to a blossoming feud with Pimblett. After taking offense to the Liverpool native’s remarks online, the pair almost came to blows at a hotel during fight week for a UFC Fight Night in London.
While that appeared to lay the foundation for a future fight, Topuria has since returned to the lower weight and created a firm gap between himself and Pimblett in regard to their standing in the UFC.
During a video recently uploaded to his YouTube channel, Pimblett reacted live to Saturday’s Topuria-headlined PPV at Etihad Arena.
Despite Topuria dispatching one of the featherweight division’s greatest in Holloway — who was coming off a dominant lightweight win over Justin Gaethje — “The Baddy” remains confident of his chances should he and Topuria meet at 155 pounds down the line.
“Heavy…Hand sanitiser boy with the win? Heavy,” Pimblett said. “Well done, Ilia, give you your due lad, 16-0 hand sanitiser boy. I can’t wait for him to come back up to lightweight, I still think I’d beat him. I really do, I still think I’d beat him, lad. Whether he’s just beat Max Holloway or not, I still think I’d beat him. Kicking him on the feet or taking him down and submitting him, I genuinely think I’d beat him, but congrats Ilia Topuria, well done son, congratulations, lad.
“Obviously, hand sanitiser boy knocked Holloway out. I didn’t see that coming but give him his due, good finish. Max was the better boxer, but Ilia is the better swinger, he ended up catching him with them shots on the button,” Pimblett continued. “So congrats, fella. Can’t wait for Volk (Volkanovski) to come back and beat you up, and I’m willing to, any time.”
Given their interaction inside the cage at UFC 308 and Dana White’s subsequent remarks, it would appear that Topuria’s next step will be a rematch with Volkanovski in 2025.
Eventually, though, “El Matador” has outlined his plans to challenge for two-division glory. Whether a lightweight move in pursuit of doing so would result in his and Pimblett’s paths crossing, however, remains to be seen.
