Ilia Topuria has reignited his rivalry with Paddy Pimblett, taking fresh shots at the British lightweight while expressing interest in coaching opposite him on The Ultimate Fighter.
The former UFC lightweight champion has made it clear that he is open to the idea of sharing the coaching spotlight with Pimblett before the pair eventually settle their differences inside the Octagon. Speaking in a recent interview with ABC.es, Topuria dismissed Pimblett’s abilities, questioned his grappling skills and made it clear that he believes he would have the upper hand if they finally meet.
Topuria did not hold back when discussing his longtime rival, using insulting remarks to mock lett’s appearance and fighting ability. He suggested that Pimblett would struggle to compete with him in the grappling department, claiming that the Liverpudlian would be unable to take him down or successfully pass his guard. Topuria also questioned Pimblett’s knockout power and described his approach as predictable, arguing that he does not possess the same dangerous qualities as Justin Gaethje.
Beyond the verbal exchanges, Topuria also addressed the possibility of coaching against Pimblett on The Ultimate Fighter. The idea was initially pushed by Pimblett, who believes a season featuring the two rivals could bring renewed attention to the long-running UFC reality show. Topuria revealed that he had heard the discussions but had not held any conversations with the UFC about making the matchup happen.
Nevertheless, he was receptive to the possibility, leaving the door open for the two fighters to become opposing coaches before eventually facing each other.
Pimblett previously suggested that their rivalry would make for an entertaining season, believing he could get under Topuria’s skin throughout the competition. UFC CEO Dana White has also expressed interest in the proposal, although he cautioned that several factors, including the promotion’s schedule and potential title fights, would determine whether it becomes a reality.
“Paddy, Paddy, Paddy… I’ll eat him up like the sausage he is!” Topuria told ABC.es. “There are no easy opponents. Paddy’s a guy to be reckoned with, but come on, with that head of his, you just aim the punch that way and hit him.”
“I’ve heard some rumors [about The Ultimate Fighter], but I haven’t had any conversations with the UFC. I don’t know what their interests are. When we resume talks with them, we’ll see if we’re on the same page. There are still good times ahead, but what matters most to me is getting back to training, feeling healthy and well, and then we’ll be ready for whatever comes up.”
”If you listen to him, he’ll say, ‘He beats me at everything,’ but I beat him at anything I want,” Topuria said. “After a loss, it’s hard to talk about these things, but Paddy, on the ground, just grappling, doesn’t win a single point against me. He doesn’t take me down, he doesn’t pass my guard, he doesn’t do anything. I don’t see him as being any better than me on the ground. He’s a pushover, he’s got a sausage body, he thinks his size gives him an advantage, but he can’t do anything.”
“He’s not like Justin. Justin is a dog; he knows how to dodge punches, he’s very experienced, and he’s very freestyle. He does things that, to me, are poorly executed, but they’re effective. Paddy has nothing, no knockout punch, no unexpected takedowns, no submissions out of nowhere. Paddy is very predictable; you can see his intentions.” “Everything can make sense again, of course,” Topuria said. “Yeah, it’s going out there for my next fight, knocking out Paddy, and everyone’s going to be like, ‘WOW, look how focused Ilia is!’ You’re only as good as your last fight.”
Topuria and Pimblett have been involved in a heated rivalry since their confrontation during fight week in London in 2022.
Their disagreement has continued over the years, with both fighters exchanging insults and repeatedly expressing interest in settling their differences inside the Octagon. The potential matchup has become more realistic following their recent setbacks against Justin Gaethje. Pimblett suffered a unanimous decision defeat to Gaethje in their interim lightweight title fight at UFC 324 in January 2026.
He subsequently returned to winning ways by submitting Benoit Saint Denis in 52 seconds at UFC 329.
Topuria, meanwhile, lost his lightweight championship to Gaethje in their title-unification bout at UFC White House in June. The former champion is now looking towards a return in 2027, with Pimblett firmly on his list of potential opponents.
Topuria believes an impressive victory over the Liverpudlian could put him back in contention for another major opportunity, including a possible move towards the welterweight title picture. For now, however, neither a fight nor a season of The Ultimate Fighter has been officially confirmed. With both men seemingly interested in the idea, a coaching rivalry could provide the perfect build-up to one of the UFC’s most anticipated grudge matches.
