Ilia Topuria is uncertain if Paddy Pimblett will be his next opponent in the UFC lightweight division.
Following his dominant victory over Charles Oliveira at UFC 317, Ilia Topuria became the new undisputed lightweight champion, maintaining his undefeated record at 17-0. The win marked his second world title.
During the post-fight interview in the Octagon, three potential future opponents for `El Matador` were highlighted: Arman Tsarukyan, Justin Gaethje, and his long-standing rival, Paddy Pimblett.
While Topuria had initially mentioned Tsarukyan, a misunderstanding led commentator Joe Rogan to believe he was calling out Pimblett. This confusion resulted in an impromptu face-off between Topuria and Pimblett in the Octagon, which culminated in a brief shove.
UFC CEO Dana White later commented on the incident, stating that he did not sanction the face-off, unlike others earlier in the night. White explicitly said that Topuria vs. Pimblett was “not the fight” currently planned or desired by the promotion.
Topuria on Potential Pimblett Bout: Needs Another Win?
Topuria quickly became aware of White`s reaction to the unexpected confrontation with Pimblett.
At the post-fight press conference, Topuria admitted that a fight against Pimblett is the one he personally desires the most, given their history and fan interest. However, in a separate interview, `El Matador` conceded that despite the popularity, a showdown with Pimblett might not be his immediate next fight.
“That`s the fight that I think everyone wants to see,” Topuria commented regarding Pimblett on the `About Last Fight` podcast.
“Maybe that`s not the fight that I`m gonna get in my next fight,” he added, acknowledging the promotional landscape.
“But, hopefully, he`s gonna get a fight. He`s gonna get a win, and finally, we have that fight,” Topuria stated, suggesting Pimblett may need another victory to earn a title shot.
He expressed hope for “A fight where two fighters really wanna fight with each other…”
Prior to his championship win at UFC 317, Topuria had already indicated that both Arman Tsarukyan and Paddy Pimblett needed at least one more significant win to be considered legitimate challengers for the title. Pimblett, currently ranked #8 in the division, has relatively few wins against highly-ranked opponents.
Topuria Prefers “New Blood,” Less Interested in Justin Gaethje
Justin Gaethje`s position in the lightweight title picture appears less promising at the moment.
The former BMF champion, who boasts a record of three wins in his last four fights, had issued an ultimatum, suggesting he would retire if he wasn`t granted a fight against the winner of the Topuria vs. Oliveira bout.
Dana White publicly dismissed Gaethje`s stance, suggesting he should perhaps follow through with retirement if he makes such demands.
Ilia Topuria, who seemed open to fighting Gaethje just days before UFC 317, has now voiced a different perspective regarding him as a potential next opponent.
“Fighting Justin Gaethje, I don’t think that’s gonna be something exciting for the fans,” Topuria stated in an interview with ESPN MMA.
He explained his preference for fresh faces in the division. “We need new blood in the division, we need new faces, new guys that come hungrier than the guys that we used to see in the past like Justin Gaethje, Charles Oliveira or the other guys.”
“I want to bring new faces to the game,” Topuria elaborated on his vision for the division`s contenders.
Gaethje, at 36 years old, holds an 0-2 record in undisputed UFC title fights and recently defeated Rafael Fiziev at UFC 313. UFC analyst Din Thomas commented that while Gaethje represented a “more exciting” stylistic matchup for Topuria, his devastating knockout loss to Max Holloway at UFC 300 likely hurt his immediate chances at a title shot.
Jack Thornley