These two were never prone to avoid each other.
The UFC is in Qatar for the very first time, and a number of the promotion’s biggest stars are on the town for the occasion.
That features loads of notable names who’re set to compete on Saturday. Along with Arman Tsarukyan and Dan Hooker headlining UFC Qatar, a key welterweight clash between Belal Muhammad and Ian Machado Garry will happen.
The 2 lightweights within the major event are usually not the one elite names from the division currently within the Middle Eastern nation. Champion Ilia Topuria touched down in Doha ahead of his brother’s second UFC fight, while Paddy Pimblett can be there to support his teammates Luke Riley and Shem Rock.
‘El Matador’ and ‘The Baddy’ share animosity that dates back over three years, and that meant a possible altercation was all the time on the cards in Qatar.
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Ilia Topuria and Paddy Pimblett cross paths ahead of UFC Qatar
Topuria narrowly avoided a run-in with Tsarukyan on the fighter hotel, with their close call outside of an elevator seemingly going unnoticed by each men early in fight week.
That was not the case when the Spaniard crossed paths with Pimblett for the primary time.
Pimblett and Topuria’s entourage were filmed walking past each other and exchanging words by reported Alvaro Colmenaro.
“What’s happening, you alright?” Pimblett shouted across to Topuria.
After Topuria can apparently be heard replying, “All good,” an expletive is seemingly shouted on the Scouser, though it’s unclear whether it got here from the lightweight champ himself, who was being quickly ushered away, or a member of his team.
“Come on, Chorizo. Calm down,” Pimblett responded.
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Paddy Pimblett thinks Ilia Topuria is delaying their title fight
‘The Baddy’ is constant to angle for his grudge match with the champion and is confused why it has not yet been made official.
A couple of days before running into his rival in Qatar, Pimblett questioned the delay to the Topuria fight, having previously suggested that the hold-up is on the Spaniard’s end.
“Me and Topuria’s got the storyline inbuilt, it’s all there,” Pimblett said during an interview with JNMedia.
“It’s half nice for me that he’s got the belt regardless that I don’t like him and I relatively he not be a two-division champ. It’s higher for me that he won it because if Charles had won I might have definitely needed to fight another person first.
“But with Ilia having the belt, it’s only a storyline that’s already arrange and able to go. I don’t know why it’s not already announced and made and written in a contract. We’ll see what happens in the subsequent few weeks,” he added.