UFC lightweight competitor Paddy Pimblett has directed comments towards his long-standing adversary, Ilia Topuria, as Topuria prepares for his upcoming title opportunity at UFC 317.
Ilia Topuria, the former UFC featherweight champion, is scheduled to compete against Charles Oliveira for the vacant UFC lightweight championship next month at UFC 317. This championship bout was set after weeks of speculation regarding a potential clash between Islam Makhachev and Topuria, with Makhachev ultimately deciding to vacate the title and move up to the welterweight division.
As promised by the UFC, Topuria receives an immediate shot at the lightweight title, following his decision to vacate the featherweight belt earlier this year. The featherweight championship was subsequently won by Alexander Volkanovski, who defeated Diego Lopes at UFC 314.
Should Topuria succeed in capturing the belt from Oliveira at UFC 317, he will have numerous contenders for his initial lightweight title defense. A prominent and highly likely opponent is Paddy Pimblett, a fighter with whom Topuria has maintained a public feud spanning three years.
Paddy Pimblett Reignites Rivalry with Ilia Topuria Ahead of UFC 317
Paddy Pimblett maintained his undefeated run in the UFC by securing a finish against Michael Chandler in the co-main event of UFC 314 last month. In his post-fight press conference, Pimblett called out Topuria, though he also initially dismissed the former featherweight titleholder as `irrelevant` within the lightweight title picture.
Following his win over Chandler, Pimblett could potentially be positioned as the next challenger for the lightweight title. His claim is bolstered by a history of animosity with Topuria, dating back to their widely reported physical altercation at a fighter hotel in 2022.
While Topuria and Pimblett had a brief, seemingly polite interaction while cornering their respective teammates at UFC 312, the underlying tensions between the two fighters appear to remain high. As Pimblett gets closer to a potential shot at UFC gold, a matchup involving the British star and Topuria seems increasingly probable.
Pimblett may not openly prefer a winner in the vacant title fight at UFC 317. However, if Ilia Topuria emerges victorious, Pimblett has indicated his intention to finish his long-time adversary in a brutal fashion.
In a recent post on Instagram, Pimblett shared a picture of himself landing a head kick on Michael Chandler, accompanied by a veiled message directed at Topuria.
“Can’t wait to land one of these on el chorizo,” Pimblett posted.
As of the time of this writing, Topuria has not publicly responded to Pimblett’s post. Topuria`s last fight was at UFC 308 in October, where he knocked out BMF titleholder Max Holloway.
Ilia Topuria Addresses Potential Islam Makhachev Title Shot After UFC 317
The likelihood of a Topuria vs. Pimblett confrontation has increased partly due to Topuria`s recent remarks concerning Islam Makhachev. Topuria recently stated that he would decline to give Makhachev an immediate title shot if Makhachev decides to return to the lightweight division after Topuria wins the belt, seemingly alluding to Makhachev`s recent hesitation to face him.
Makhachev is currently expected to challenge the new UFC welterweight champion, Jack Della Maddalena, later this year in pursuit of a second divisional championship. His potential move to welterweight became a viable option after Maddalena defeated Belal Muhammad at UFC 315. Makhachev`s most recent fight was a victory over Renato Moicano at UFC 311.
The dynamic developments in the UFC lightweight and welterweight title scenes continue to generate excitement and unpredictability, promising compelling matchups for MMA fans throughout the summer and beyond.
Percy Harlow