Sports · Combat Sports · 1 hr ago
Ilia Topuria calls for a fight with Paddy Pimblett after first career loss
Ilia Topuria is calling for a UFC fight with Paddy Pimblett, renewing a rivalry that began in 2022.
The Spanish-Georgian former champion and the Liverpool fighter have not yet met in the Octagon, though they faced off in 2025.
Topuria lost to Justin Gaethje in June, his first defeat as a professional, while Pimblett bounced back from a loss to Gaethje by submitting Benoit Saint-Denis in July.
Topuria has criticised Pimblett’s skills and says he expects to beat him.
A win over Pimblett could help Topuria rebuild after his defeat, but he says his priority is returning to training and feeling healthy.
Topuria is eyeing an April return, though he has not said that a fight with Pimblett is confirmed.
He has heard rumours about coaching against Pimblett on a new series of The Ultimate Fighter, but says he has had no talks with the UFC about it.
Ilia Topuria has renewed his call to fight Paddy Pimblett after suffering the first loss of his professional career.
Topuria lost to Justin Gaethje in June at the White House, with Gaethje unifying the lightweight belts.
Topuria said he wants to knock out Pimblett in his next fight and is eyeing an April return.
The fighters have a long-running grudge, dating to a confrontation at a fighter hotel before UFC London in 2022.
Topuria said he has heard rumours about coaching against Pimblett on a new series of The Ultimate Fighter, but has not spoken with the UFC about it.
- Who
- Ilia Topuria and Paddy Pimblett, UFC fighters.
- What
- Topuria called for a fight with Pimblett and criticised his abilities.
- When
- Topuria made the comments in an interview reported on November 9, 2026. He is eyeing April for his next fight.
- Where
- Topuria spoke to ABC in Spain. His loss to Justin Gaethje took place at the White House.
- Why
- Topuria and Pimblett have held a grudge since 2022, when Topuria took issue with tweets he alleged showed anti-Georgian sentiment.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Topuria confronted Pimblett at a fighter hotel before UFC London over tweets Topuria alleged showed anti-Georgian sentiment.
Topuria knocked out Alexander Volkanovski to win the featherweight title.
Topuria and Pimblett faced off in the cage after Topuria knocked out Charles Oliveira to win the lightweight belt.
Justin Gaethje outpointed Pimblett to win the interim lightweight title.
Gaethje beat Topuria at the White House to unify the lightweight belts, giving Topuria his first professional loss.
Pimblett submitted Benoit Saint-Denis inside one minute.
- Topuria's age
- 29
- Pimblett's age
- 31
- Topuria's next-fight target
- April
- Topuria's opponent in first loss
- Justin Gaethje
- Pimblett's July result
- Submitted Benoit Saint-Denis inside one minute
- Topuria's former division
- Featherweight, where he held the title before moving to lightweight
What people are saying
Paddy, Paddy, Paddy [is next]... I’ll eat him up like the sausage he is.
He’s a pushover, he’s got a sausage body, he thinks his size gives him an advantage, but he can’t do anything.
Paddy has nothing, no knockout punch, no unexpected takedowns, no submissions out of nowhere.
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.