Ilia Topuria
Paddy Pimblett
Conversation History
“A while ago, me and moicano were having a back and forth. I was saying me and him should do the ultimate fighter... but it just never ended up happening. I'd do one with Ilia, but they'd have to have security there 24/7.”
– via his YouTube channel, expressing willingness to coach on "The Ultimate Fighter" opposite Ilia Topuria
“I always said he looked like someone who's a super entertaining guy who did a superb job. He had his slips with a tweet that he made about georgia. But i think we all learn from our mistakes. Deep down i notice that he is a person who understands family problems, personal problems [and] respects it.”
– during a media interaction at a WOW FC event, seemingly burying the hatchet with Paddy Pimblett by expressing appreciation for Pimblett's sympathy regarding his personal issues, noting that Pimblett "understands family problems, personal problems [and] respects it.
“He's got a lot going on in his personal life. I wish him nothing but the best. That has got nothing to do with me and him fighting. That's his family, and i hope everything goes well. I hope that goes perfectly for him. All i care about is getting him in that octagon and fighting him... But you never know, if he doesn't come back by june,[or] july, then he might have to vacate his belt, and i'll become undisputed champion without even fighting.”
– viaan interview with ESPN Deportes, discussing Ilia Topuria's personal hiatus and suggesting that if Topuria does not return to fight by June or July, he might have to vacate the belt, allowing Pimblett to become the undisputed champion.
“I will win this interim belt and then i will beat ilia [topuria] up and take the proper belt. Defend that and i will go up and win the welterweight belt.”
– via Red Corner MMA, outlining his ambitious plan to win the interim lightweight belt, defeat Ilia Topuria for the undisputed title, defend it, and then move up to welterweight to win that championship as well.
“Paddy win your next fight. Hands up, chin down... and Arman Petuh, this dance is for you”
– via X, offering advice to Paddy Pimblett for his upcoming bout and using the derogatory Russian slang term "Petuh" to address Arman Tsarukyan.
“2026 is going to be the biggest year of my life. I'm coming for that interim title, then I'll be making it undisputed title when I come and beat Ilia Topuria up. Then little posh boy [Arman]... I'll punch his head in as well”
– via the UFC, outlining his plans for 2026 to win both the interim and undisputed lightweight titles, and then fight Arman Tsarukyan.
“I'd like to fight Paddy if they don't let me move up to welterweight to fight Islam”
– via Álvaro Colmenero.
“Just want to get a fight signed, man. All Ilia has done is talk sh*t about me, saying I'm sh*t, saying I don't deserve to fight him. After his last fight, we got in the cage and he pushed me.I think it's happening, and now he's stalling. He's not saying yes to the fight. He's stalling. If I'm that sh*t, lad, why don't you take an easy fight and just beat me then? Step up. As [Mike] Tyson said, 'Sign the contract, big boy”
– calling out Ilia Topuria for a Title fight
“I'd absolutely smash his face in. I can see me beating him anywhere the fight goes.”
– trash talking about Ilia Topuria
“There's really nothing official at the moment. I haven't had any official conversations with [the UFC] either. Everything is rumors so far. As soon as I get the call and we go into the details, I'll be able to tell you more. But for now, honestly, it's just all rumors.”
– reacted to Paddy's callout via Diario AS
“If it were to me, I think I'd rather fight Paddy because there's a history between us. And I think it would be a much more entertaining fight for the fans. At the end of the day, I compete to entertain everyone and give them a unique experience, and I think with Paddy, we could achieve that.”
– answers for question 'who would you prefer to fight next Justin Gaethje or Paddy Pimblett' via Diario AS
“Right now I’m struggling to get a fight.People talk a lot behind the scenes saying: ‘I want to fight him, I want to fight him’, and then when it comes time for the fight, they don’t accept it. So I’m sitting in limbo waiting for the fight.I thought I was going to fight Gaethje in Abu Dhabi in October, but he’s not going to be involved,Dan Hooker is going to fight Arman Tsarukyan and Charles [Oliveira] just fought Gamrot. There’s no one else I can fight, apart from Ilia Topuria, so hopefully that fight will be sorted out.”
– via Marca
“No one would know Ilia Topuria if it wasn't for me. He made himself famous off the back of my name...He's so fake, like half of his followers. It's been proven half his followers on Instagram are bots. He's just a McGregor copycat and I'm getting sick of him.He's a German. He's not even Spanish, he's not even Georgian. He was born in Germany, he's German”
– via Marca
“Paddy why hasn't [Topuria] signed the contract yet?”
“Hopefully, [my] next fight, lad. [Any news?] No, just waiting on little Ilia [Topuria] to sign the contract. Sign the contract, big boy.”
“I finish him. I finish him. I don't see him lasting five rounds with me. I genuinely believe I'd finish him. Keep having mad, mad dreams that I finish him in like the first 10 seconds like McGregor did Aldo. That wouldn't be good enough for him. I'd want to beat him up for a consistent couple of rounds, hit him with over like 70 elbows, disfigure him a little bit, and then finish him." [11:00 seconds of the interview video]”