February 14, 2025 2: 40 pm ET
Paddy Pimblett warns UFC featherweight champion Ilia Topuria about returning to lightweight.
Pimblett and Topuria have traded plenty of barbs in the past, but their careers took off in different directions with each fighter competing in their respective weight class. Pimblett made his debut in the lightweight rankings after a quick submission of King Green at UFC 304, and Topuria tore through the featherweight ranks en route to claiming the title.
Now, Topuria (16-0 MMA, 8-0 UFC) has his sights set on 155-pound gold, but Pimblett (22-3 MMA, 6-0 UFC) is adamant that he wouldn’t have the size to compete with him.
“Ilia’s a midget,” Pimblett said in an interview with Daniel Cortes. “People don’t understand how much bigger I am than Ilia. I’m so much bigger than him – people don’t realize. I’d love to do a stare down with him, just so everyone can see how much bigger I actually am than him.”
Pimblett admits Topuria is a great fighter, but says he was given a fast route to the title. He thinks he has more work to do at featherweight before challenging Islam Makhachev, and would love to fight him at lightweight.
“Don’t get me wrong – he’s very good,” Pimblett said. “Just because I don’t like him doesn’t mean I’m going to sit here and lie. He’s a very good fighter. He is. But I also think he got fast-tracked to the belt because (Alexander Volkanovski) had cleared the featherweight division out already. I think