Ilia Topuria Takes Cheeky Dig Why He Is the Best Prize Fight for Gold-Hunting Paddy Pimblett Now

Ilia Topuria takes a jab at Paddy Pimblett's post-fight spending spree and challenges him to a UFC lightweight pay-per-view prize fight.

Ilia Topuria Takes Cheeky Dig Why He Is the Best Prize Fight for Gold-Hunting Paddy Pimblett Now

Ilia Topuria makes light of Paddy Pimblett's post-fight revelry, baits for UFC scrapper (Source: X)

If 2024 taught the fans anything, it is that Ilia Topuria overshoots with pride and then delivers on it. Topuria rallied to a one-of-one PPV title campaign with double KO promises and delivered. Now that he is up for trying his luck as a UFC lightweight again, the Spaniard is up to the same technique, promising all the dazzle and glory. To that end, he has now baited rival Paddy Pimblett, promising a prize fight.

#8-ranked UFC 155-pounder Paddy Pimblett is fresh off a third-round TKO beatdown of Michael Chandler at the UFC 314 PPV. Following this, the Scouser talent threw himself a yacht dance party and made some bold callouts. During this Saturday’s WOW 19 fight media presser, stakes owner Ilia Topuria thus mocked him, saying he’d be needing to chase some big-bill fights to afford those parties.

Paddy Pimblett, he knows where the money is now, …He’s gotta pay for the parties he throws for himself.

Right now, Ilia Topuria does stand to be a prize fight. While relinquishing the stakes to his 145-pound gold, he directly shot for a PPV superfight vs. Islam Makhachev. With Makhachev pulling much of the same move for a welterweight shift, he got policed by Topuria as a ‘hypocrite’ for it.

Despite Makhachev getting away, though, it’s opportune for Topuria. The lightweight division is a pool of top contenders; Topuria just entered that foray big time. In a recent media interview with Adam Catterall for UFC on TNT Sports (@ufcontnt / X), ‘Baddy’ pitched in on Makhachev’s soon-to-be vacant lightweight title strap.

Topuria will meet Charles Oliveira for the vacant hardware at the UFC 317 PPV main event, June 28, as an IFW showcase. Topuria’s diss came in the light of Paddy Pimblett yet again saying the rival ran from Alexander Volkanovski to try his luck at lightweight. However, Topuria presents that he doesn’t run; to that end, he has had some thoughts.

A 170-pound run? Why not? Ilia Topuria up for Islam Makhachev-like shift up after his lightweight reign

Team Makhachev presented that Topuria needs a few matchups in order to make a 155-pound top seed booking. To that end, Makhachev and team themselves argued that the pound-for-pound king himself was a different beast with 4 title defenses and a streaking 15-win run. Based on those, the Dagestani is on the rumor mill to face new UFC 170-pound champ Jack Della Maddalena, sometime later this year.

Ilia Topuria is open to other UFC weight classes and challenges
Ilia Topuria is open to other UFC weight classes and challenges (Source: X)

Those not trusting the salt behind the man need to understand the basic logistics. ‘El Matador’ is no different. Undefeated and in the exclusive 8-0 UFC starter stack, Ilia Topuria got an undisputed title shot at lightweight right off the bat, too.

That is to say, his title campaign last season has earned him enough points and honors for it. But can he pursue a third-division dream at welterweight? During WOW 19: Alicante, Topuria recently weighed in on such potential aspirations:

It’s not the plan that I’m going to fight for the title, and then I’m going to move up to welterweight. But it depends on how circumstances develop, depends on what the UFC wants me to do. Because at the end of the day, I don’t make decisions… whatever works for the UFC and me, we will do it..

It’s unlikely that Ilia Topuria will cross paths with him again in the near future. But for a man with the bone-density and natural buff hydration of a welterweight, it’s ‘never say never’. Topuria has thus teased an open-ended conversation regarding a future against Makahchev.

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