Paddy Pimblett is going on the offensive as he anticipates a potential showdown against UFC lightweight champion Ilia Topuria in early 2026.
The long-brewing rivalry between the two fighters seems closer than ever to finally reaching the octagon. Reports suggest that Topuria vs. Pimblett could headline the first-ever UFC card on Paramount+ in January, a fitting stage for two men whose animosity has been years in the making.
Their feud dates back to 2022, when both fighters clashed ahead of a UFC event in London. The tension quickly turned physical, and it’s been downhill ever since.
“He tried to jump me,” Pimblett recalled while speaking to *Marca*. “When I was on my own and he was with like 10 other people, he tried to attack me. Made himself famous off the back of my name. He thinks he’s too good to fight me. You wouldn’t be where you’re at without me.”
At the time, Topuria competed at featherweight while Pimblett was already at lightweight, which made a potential matchup unrealistic. That changed after Topuria vacated his 145-pound title and moved up to lightweight, where he dominated Charles Oliveira to claim the 155-pound belt.
“I said when he moved up to lightweight, I should be the one to welcome him,” Pimblett said. “I should have been his first fight at lightweight. But it never happened, and he got gifted a title shot.”
Now, with UFC gold at stake, the rivalry has evolved into something more personal. Pimblett believes the champion has been avoiding him despite all the talk.
“Yes, seven wins and I’m in seventh place, but when I beat Michael Chandler, he was in seventh place,” Pimblett explained. “So it’s only fair that you move up to the spot of the person you just beat. But right now, I’m struggling to get a fight.
“People talk a lot behind the scenes saying, ‘I want to fight him,’ but when it comes time, they don’t accept it. I thought I was going to fight Gaethje in Abu Dhabi, but that didn’t happen. There’s no one else I can fight apart from Ilia Topuria, so hopefully that fight will be sorted out. I think it would have been sorted out by now if he had signed the contract, but he’s stalling.”
Their rivalry extends beyond the cage, even spilling into soccer fandoms. Topuria, who was celebrated at a Real Madrid game after his championship win, has spoken about wanting to fight at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium in Madrid. However, Pimblett isn’t convinced that Topuria’s connection to Spain, or his entire image, is genuine.
“If we’re being honest, Topuria’s not Spanish,” Pimblett said. “Let’s just get that out there straight away. He’s German. He fakes to be Georgian and Spanish to get more fans when he was born in Germany. He is a German.”
Topuria was, in fact, born in Germany to Georgian parents before his family moved back to Georgia and later to Spain. Still, Pimblett insists that the champion’s rise is built on smoke and mirrors.
“He just jumped on the coattails to get more fans and more followers,” Pimblett continued. “He’s fake. He’s so fake, like half his followers. It’s been proven, half his followers on Instagram are bought. He’s the fakest person ever. He’s just a [Conor] McGregor copycat and I’m getting sick of him.”
Whether the matchup will happens in January or later, fans can feel the heat of a rivalry that’s long overdue for a proper conclusion.
