Paddy Pimblett doesn’t see Ilia Topuria having success at lightweight.
Topuria (16-0 MMA, 8-0 UFC) vacated his UFC featherweight title for a move up to 155 pounds. Pimblett doubts “El Matador” gets an immediate title shot at lightweight champion Islam Makhachev, and UFC CEO Dana White said it’s not a guarantee, either.
Pimblett (22-3 MMA, 6-0 UFC) went off on Topuria and warned him of what’s to come at 155 pounds.
“That’s the fight I want,” Pimblett told Round Eight Boxing of Topuria. “I want that fight. That’s another one just to prove everyone wrong. He’s a midget, lad. He’s not a lightweight. He shouldn’t be fighting at lightweight. He should just stop at featherweight. It’s going to be the downfall of his career.”
With back-to-back knockouts of Alexander Volkanovski and Max Holloway, Topuria thinks he’s done all he needs to do at featherweight, but Pimblett disagrees.
“It’s a big mistake,” Pimblett said. “I think he knew that in a rematch with Volk, fighting Volk when he hasn’t been knocked out 12 weeks earlier with a naughty head kick, I think he knew Volk would give him a very tough test.
“He said he cemented his legacy at the weight. It’s a little bit of bullsh*t. Beat Volk again, beat (Diego) Lopes, beat (Movsar) Evloev, then you’ve cleared the division out then move up. Champions are too quick to want to move up now and not defend the belt.”
Pimblett will look to continue his rise up the lightweight ranks when he takes on former title challenger Michael Chandler (23-9 MMA, 2-4 UFC) in the UFC 314 co-main event April 12 at Kaseya Center in Miami (ESPN+ pay-per-view).
Paddy Pimblett would love to welcome 'midget' Ilia Topuria to lightweight, Topuria responds
Ilia Topuria's coach Jorge Climent: Potential Paddy Pimblett fight would be 'abuse'
Paddy Pimblett reacts to Ilia Topuria's UFC 308 knockout of Max Holloway: 'I still think I beat him'
Ilia Topuria's coach Jorge Climent: Potential Paddy Pimblett fight would be 'abuse'
Paddy Pimblett reacts to Ilia Topuria's UFC 308 knockout of Max Holloway: 'I still think I beat him'
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 314.
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