UFC star Paddy Pimblett didn’t take long to notice Ilia Topuria’s planned move to the lightweight division after just one featherweight title defense.
Paddy Pimblett and Ilia Topuria despise one another, stemming from a physical altercation at a fighter hotel ahead of UFC London in 2022. Just months later, Pimblett and Topuria nearly came to blows again at the UFC 282 pre-fight press conference, before security personnel separated the two fighters.
The bad blood between Pimblett and Topuria is heated, but fight talks have died down amidst Topuria’s rise to superstardom at featherweight. Pimblett, who competed at featherweight early on in his career, entered the lightweight rankings following a quick finish of King Green at UFC 304.
Originally, it appeared Topuria and Pimblett would likely never fight due to their separation in weight. But things opened back up again after Topuria announced a permanent move up a weight class and a potential vacation of the featherweight belt.
Paddy Pimblett appeared to welcome Ilia Topuria’s lightweight move
Just hours after Topuria announced a move to lightweight during a recent interview with a Spanish broadcaster, Pimblett seemed to reference Topuria’s remarks in a recent Instagram post.
“New blood at 155?” Pimblett posted Tuesday.
Pimblett is without an opponent, as of this writing, for his next appearance in the Octagon. He’s been linked to a rumored matchup with Benoit Saint-Denis, although nothing has been announced for the UK star’s return.
Topuria wants to face former UFC lightweight champion Charles Oliveira for his planned lightweight debut next year. But, those plans could change if the UFC brass forces him to fight Alexander Volkanovski or another top featherweight before leaving the division.
Topuria knocked out BMF titleholder and former UFC featherweight champion Max Holloway at UFC 308. He earned the belt by defeating Volkanovski at UFC 298 earlier this year and remains undefeated in his promotional tenure.
Ilia Topuria’s planned lightweight move reopens Paddy Pimblett fight talks
The UFC brass hasn’t responded to Topuria’s lightweight tease, as they’re in the middle of active negotiations between Jon Jones and Tom Aspinall for a heavyweight booking. But, Dana White and the matchmakers are historically proven not to let champions change weight classes after one title defense.
If Topuria moves up, a clash with UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev could potentially be on the horizon. Topuria and Makhachev have traded barbs online for months, and Makhachev will face Arman Tsarukyan at UFC 311 in January.
Topuria’s potential addition to the lightweight division is a significant talking point ahead of UFC 311. On the off chance that the UFC grants him permission to vacate the featherweight title and move up to lightweight, he could potentially face the Makhachev vs. Tsarukyan winner.
Pimblett remains unbeaten in his UFC tenure and recently touted how he’d beat Topuria inside the Octagon. Shortly after submitting Green, Pimblett alleged he’d similarly beat Topuria if the two sides were booked to fight.
As Pimblett approaches the lightweight Top 10, a new rival could potentially be in his crosshairs if Topuria enters the division. The bad blood between Pimblett and Topuria could potentially be settled in the Octagon in 2025.
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