Paddy Pimblett Brutally Roast Charles Oliveira for ‘Stupid Gameplan’ Against Ilia Topuria

Top 10 UFC lightweight contender Paddy Pimblett questions Charles Oliveira’s lackluster gameplan against Ilia Topuria.

Paddy Pimblett Brutally Roast Charles Oliveira for ‘Stupid Gameplan’ Against Ilia Topuria

Paddy Pimblett mocks Charles Oliveira for fighting recklessly against Ilia Topuria (via X/Imago)

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Paddy Pimblett was octagon side at UFC 317 when Ilia Topuria became the new lightweight champion last weekend. The Georgian-Spanish fighter knocked out Charles Oliveira in round one, achieving a dominant and historic win that stunned the MMA community. Despite Oliveira being the underdog, Pimblett believes he underperformed and failed to deliver what fans were truly expecting.

Coming off a dominant victory over Michael Chandler at UFC 309, Oliveira was confident about beating Topuria next. He wasn’t afraid of El Matador’s power and claimed his elite BJJ would be enough to control the fight. However, things turned out differently as Pimblett later criticized Oliveira’s disappointing performance during his interview with Verse Us.

I really like Charles but what the f*ck was that game plan, lad? Just stand in front of him and get punched in the face. I’d love to know what their game plan was. Because that was half embarrassing. What are you doing just standing in the middle and swinging punches with him when he’s a top class boxer and he’s got power. It blew my mind how stupid he could be after that was his 47th pro fight, and he was going in there like an amateur.

Paddy Pimblett via Verse Us podcast

Before the fight, Topuria had knocked out Alexander Volkanovski and Max Holloway, aiming to do the exact same to Oliveira next. He predicted Oliveira’s pressure style would open up chances for him to land clean shots and finish the fight early. As expected, the Brazilian engaged in striking exchanges, and despite some grappling success, it backfired badly against Topuria’s power.

Oliveira has long been known for getting hit, then baiting opponents into ground scrambles where he dominates with jiu-jitsu. However, against Topuria, that strategy failed as the first clean punch was enough to knock him out cold instantly. It was his 47th professional fight, and no one expected the seasoned veteran to lose in such devastating fashion.

Paddy Pimblett vs. Ilia Topuria is what the MMA fans want

After Ilia Topuria knocked out Charles Oliveira, he called out ‘Blonde Bi***’ Paddy Pimblett and faced off inside the octagon. Topuria shoved Pimblett and confidently claimed he would submit the Scouser if they ever fought for the UFC lightweight title. However, UFC CEO Dana White didn’t support the idea, showing visible frustration during the post-fight press conference.

Paddy Pimblett vs. Ilia Topuria face to face at UFC 317
Paddy Pimblett vs. Ilia Topuria face to face at UFC 317 (via X)

White was annoyed with the person who let Pimblett inside the octagon, and it turned out to be Joe Rogan. Despite that, the rivalry between Pimblett and Topuria has generated massive fan interest and social media buzz across the world. In a UFC interview, Topuria discussed the same and expressed strong interest in eventually fighting Pimblett inside the cage.

That’s the fight that I think everyone wants to see. Maybe [that’s] not the fight that I’m going to get in my next fight, but hopefully he’s [Pimblett’s] going to get a a fight, he’s going to get a win, and finally we have that fight. A fight where two fighters really want to fight with each other, you know.

Ilia Topuria via UFC

Other than Pimblett, top contenders like Arman Tsarukyan and Justin Gaethje were also present at UFC 317. Topuria dismissed the idea of fighting Gaethje, stating the veteran hasn’t done enough recently to deserve a title shot. After all, ‘The Highlight’ has just returned to the win column after losing badly at the UFC 300 PPV.

Tsarukyan, however, exchanged insults with Topuria, trying to spark a heated rivalry that could build hype for the future. Right now at #2 spot, the Armenian fighter has done enough to receive the next title shot. Nevertheless, the UFC will likely go for the most lucrative option when it comes to the first lightweight title defense of Topuria.

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