Paddy Pimblett believes Ilia Topuria has been ‘hand fed’ his UFC opponents en route to the promotion’s summit.
However, Pimblett still wants Topuria to win his next fight against Charles Oliveira, as it would make his lightweight title shot inevitable.
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Topuria knocked out Alexander Volkanovski and Max Holloway to rule the UFC’s featherweight division in 2024, before deciding to move up to lightweight due to tough weight cuts.
He was rumoured to fight UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev in his move to 155lbs, until it was revealed the Russian was also vacating his belt to fight at welterweight.
UFC CEO Dana White then announced that Topuria would fight Oliveira at UFC 317 on June 29 for the vacated lightweight strap.
Pimblett, meanwhile, dominated Michael Chandler in his last fight at UFC 314 to move one step closer to his dreams of becoming a world champion.
He is now just one fight away from being rewarded with his first shot at gold in the promotion, and it could come against long-term rival Topuria in a mouthwatering clash for MMA enthusiasts.
Speaking to TNT Sports, Pimblett revealed that he wants to fight at the UFC’s next event in Abu Dhabi in October, before fighting Topuria for the belt.
‘The Baddy’ believes victory against a name like No. 3 ranked lightweight Justin Gaethje would automatically thrust him into championship contention.
This would then perfectly tee up a fight with Topuria, which Pimblett says would only be second to Jon Jones vs Tom Aspinall as the biggest fight the UFC could make.
“[It would be] sick, four years in the making,” Pimblett said, referring to his rivalry with Topuria that dates back to when the pair were involved in a spat at a London hotel in March 2022.
“He has done a lot in the sport since then, but I do still think he’s been hand fed opponents,” Pimblett explained.
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“I saw someone put something up the other day, [it was] all his opponents on the bounce.
“Holloway [had] just been fighting at 155lbs and had to get back to 45, and had a war with [Justin] Gaethje [before he fought Topuria].
“Volkanovski had just been knocked out two months earlier, three months earlier.
“Josh Emmett was 37, Bryce [Mitchell], as much as I love Bryce, we know he’s not a striker.
“[Mitchell] fought [Kron] Gracie, who’s f****** s***. Most of his fights coming up, you can compare them to my fights cause people talk s*** around my opponents.
“But every fight he got before the title, Michael Chandler beats every single one of them, I reckon Bobby Green beats every single one of them.”
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Pimblett submitted Green at UFC 304 in Manchester last July to mark his sixth successive UFC victory, before beating Chandler.
He is the current No. 8 ranked UFC lightweight and winning the division’s title is his one and only objective.
Topuria’s latest win over Holloway in October came six months after the latter created one of the most iconic moments in MMA history by knocking out Gaethje at UFC 300.
The Spaniard had won featherweight gold by defeating Volkanovski in February 2024 just four months after the Australian had been brutally finished by Makhachev.
“I don’t think he beats Volkanovski if Volk hadn’t been knocked out four months prior,” Pimblett continued.
“I think that’s one of the reasons why he did move to lightweight, because he didn’t want to have that rematch with Volk.
“And, as you know, Holloway has been fighting in the UFC since he was 21, what is he now? 33?
“There’s a lot of damage, that second fight with [Dustin] Poirier, the third fight with Volk, just some of the wars he’s had. He’s got a lot of damage.
“[Holloway] might not have been knocked out, but he was on the road to getting knocked out because of all the mad scraps he’s had.”
Topuria has followed a similar trajectory to Pimblett in the UFC, having gone eight fights undefeated in the promotion.
“I’d absolutely kick him everywhere,” Pimblett concluded, before revealing that he wants his title shot in Miami in April – the same month and location his last victory against Chandler came in.
UFC Abu Dhabi this October has not been expected yet, however, it is likely the event will take place due to the promotion’s contractual agreement with the UAE.
Paddy Pimblett’s last five UFC fights
Undefeated
Def. Michael Chandler at UFC 314 in April 2025 via third-round TKO
Def. Bobby Green at UFC 304 in July 2024 via first-round submission
Def. Tony Ferguson at UFC 296 in December 2023 via unanimous decision
Def. Jared Gordon at UFC 287 in December 2022 via unanimous decision
Def. Jordan Leavitt at UFC Fight Night: Blaydes vs Aspinall in July 2022 via second-round submission
Pimblett’s next opponent has not been confirmed either, but it makes perfect sense for the Liverpudlian to step into the Octagon with one of the UFC’s hardest men in Gaethje next.
The 30-year-old revealed he will in attendance for Topuria’s fight with Oliveira in Las Vegas on June 29.
