Considered one of UFC featherweight champion Ilia Topuria’s biggest adversaries believes he’s lying about his move to lightweight.
Ilia Topuria is making the full-time move to lightweight just months after defending the featherweight belt for the primary time. While Topuria’s addition to the lightweight division is exciting, not everyone seems to be keen on his decision to pivot away from a rematch with Alexander Volkanovski.
Minutes after knocking out Max Holloway at UFC 308, Topuria turned his attention toward a rematch with Volkanovski after their UFC 298 headliner last 12 months. The 2 had a temporary post-fight interaction within the Octagon, and the featherweight titleholder seemed on board with granting Volkanovski one other shot on the title.
But Topuria modified his mind and announced a full-time move to lightweight, establishing Volkanovski to face Diego Lopes at UFC 314. Considered one of Topuria’s biggest enemies believes the featherweight champ is lying about his allegedly rough weight cuts to 145 lbs.
Paddy Pimblett claims Ilia Topuria ‘ran’ from Alexander Volkanovski rematch
During a recent interview with CBS Sports‘s Shakiel Mahjouri, Paddy Pimblett was asked for his first thoughts upon learning about Topuria’s lightweight move.
“I used to be considering ‘Wow, you’re silly. Why did you progress as much as this division?’” Pimblett said of Topuria. “He’s tiny. He’s like 5’5″, 5’6”. He has the audacity to call me fat when he says he can’t make 145 anymore when he’s a midget, it just doesn’t make sense. I feel he ran from 145 to be honest. Because he knew [Volkanovski] coming off a knockout loss 12 weeks earlier he would give him a much tougher fight than his first fight with him.
“And he also had [Diego] Lopes to fight. I’d’ve had rather a lot more respect for Ilia if he defended that belt two more times, and I feel he would’ve been in a position to keep his belt, not vacate it, and move as much as fight Islam or whoever has the belt on the time. But I don’t think he deserves a straight title shot and I don’t think the UFC do either.”
If Topurria doesn’t get the subsequent lightweight title shot against Islam Makhachev, a long-awaited clash with Pimblett might be on the horizon. Pimblett recently included Topuria on a three-man hit list after his upcoming fight with Michael Chandler.
Ilia Topuria nearing ‘unbelievable’ lightweight fight announcement
After Dana White’s noncommittal stance on Makhachev vs. Topuria, Topuria could potentially face a top contender before earning a title shot. A matchup with UFC 313 winner Justin Gaethje is feasible, in addition to a clash with former titleholder Charles Oliveira.
Pimblett has the prospect to get into the title mix in his upcoming fight at UFC 314. He and Topuria have an in depth history of bad blood.
Topuria and Pimblett got right into a fighter hotel altercation leading as much as a UFC Fight Night event in London back in 2022. The 2 fighters also nearly got here to blows on the UFC 282 pre-fight press conference, and a fight seemed destined to come back to fruition after each fighters left the event victorious.
Topuria pivoted on facing Pimblett in 2023, questioning the UK fighter’s star power and achievements. After Topuria announced his move to 155 lbs in recent months, the talk over a fight with Pimblett ramped up.
Topuria and Pimblett could settle their years-long beef contained in the Octagon in 2025. But for now, because the featherweight division enters a brand new era, Pimblett believes Topuria’s legacy is tarnished.
