Paddy Pimblett - trash talks and Quotes

“You took a hypothetical joke about how bad your grappling is and responded by talking s*** about my mate who committed suicide? Now that’s lowest of the low and on [sight] is fine by me you’re utter dogsh** at fighting”

– via social media, responded to the "RIP Ricky" comment with outrage, effectively ending their friendship.

“Dan Hooker couldn't grapple a f***ing rapist off his ma.”

– via an interview with The MMA Guru (January 9, 2026), sparking the most toxic lightweight feud of the new year by using a graphic analogy to mock the Kiwi’s wrestling

“We are fighters, we can say what we want about each other, but mentioning family is below the belt. I wish him nothing but the best, mate. I hope it all gets resolved and he gets to see his child, lad”

– via The MMA Guru’s YouTube channel (January 9, 2026), taking a surprisingly respectful stance regarding Ilia Topuria’s ongoing legal and family struggles.

“People are saying Ilia’s not going to be back for at least a year. I don’t know his personal situation. People are saying it could get messy, and it could end up being like two years if it gets dragged out. Lad, if he’s going to sit out for that long, I’d rather him just vacate and stop holding the division up... But I do want to fight him. So it’s a catch—22. But at the same time, if he’s going to have me waiting like Tom [Aspinall] was waiting for Jon [Jones], then no, just vacate and let the division crack on”

– via youtube during an interaction with Tom Aspinall expressing his frustration over the uncertainty surrounding the lightweight title.

“I think if I win and he wins, and I get upgraded to undisputed champ, it wouldn't surprise me if [Volk] thinks that's the perfect opportunity to win the lightweight belt. I don't want to fight Volk, I proper like Volk”

– via Social media, during a "Tea with Tom" segment on Tom Aspinall's YouTube channel, predicting a massive 2026 title collision with the featherweight king.

“[Hooker] nearly guillotined him, which shows how bad Arman's grappling is... He beat Dariush who's about 48. A lot of people don't think he beat Charles. And then he fought f**king Dan Hooker who's, let's be honest, sh*t”

– via his YouTube channel, launching a "scorched earth" verbal attack on Arman Tsarukyan

“Evloev's just a sleeping bag, he just lies on top of you. No one really wants to watch Evloev fight. He's so boring”

– via a "Tea with Tom" segment on Tom Aspinall's YouTube channel, taking a shot at the undefeated featherweight contender's fighting style.

“Luke Riley vs. Kevin Vallejos. Arman vs. back pain”

– via a recent social media Q&A revealing his most anticipated "dream matchups" for the coming year while excluding himself from the list.

“I've never had a war in all my years of fighting, so I'm looking forward to one... People are laughing at me when I say I'm gonna stand with him, but I am. People think I'm just gonna shoot in the first 10 seconds, I'm not. I'm gonna stand with him, and I'm gonna put it on him... He's more of a boxer with leg kicks, and I'm an MMA striker.via Sky Sports, outlining his bold strategy for his interim lightweight title fight against Justin Gaethje.”

“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

“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.

“Arman is an idiot. He just talks a big game, and he’s sh*t. He dug his own grave and pulled out of a title fight. He thinks that because his dad’s a millionaire, he can pay his way into things like this. It doesn’t work like that with the ufc. Sit down, shut up, and do what you’re told.”

– via an interview with Carlos Legaspi, slamming Arman Tsarukyan for talking a big game and claiming that Tsarukyan's attempt to use wealth to influence title opportunities "doesn't work" in the UFC.

“Everyone’s gonna be shocked because i think i’m gonna knock him out. People won’t expect that. People just think i’m going to grapple and take him down, but i’m not. I’m going to come out and put it on him. I don’t see him getting past the third, just like chandler.”

– via Red Corner MMA, claiming that he will shock everyone by knocking out Justin Gaethje and stating that he has no intention of relying on grappling

“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.

“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.

“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.

“You like apples? @ArmanUfc”

– via X, trolling Arman Tsarukyan after the interim title fight against Justin Gaethje was announced.

“(Justin) is being a proper b*tch, saying the UFC owe him, and he deserves it and all that. No one's owed nothing. You fight for it... I know he's a legend, and obviously he's done a lot for the company and all that, but you can't just demand a title shot”

– criticizing Justin Gaethje for claiming the UFC owes him.

“Pound for Pound no. 1, unbelievable performance. I think Islam goes down as one of the best ever”

– Paddy Pimblett, hailing Islam Makhachev as the new Pound for Pound king following his win at UFC 322

“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

“Islam was chatting pony the other day, asking who I have beaten when he got a title shot at lightweight off beating Bobby Green, someone who I beat faster than you, you little b*m. So, how about that one, Islam? Get back down to lightweight and I’ll punch your little head in as well”

– reacted that he wanted JDM to beat Islam Makhachev at UFC 322 via UFC Europe

“I hope JDM [Della Maddalena] absolutely punches his little head in. I hope JDM batters him. I think JDM’s a much better boxer. If he can keep it on the feet, then he will absolutely batter him, and I hope he does.”

– reacted that he wanted JDM to beat Islam Makhachev at UFC 322 via UFC Europe

“I'd absolutely smash his face in. I can see me beating him anywhere the fight goes.”

– trash talking about Ilia Topuria

“Probably McGregor because of the way he spoke... He was just knocking people out. Tons of people were scared of him, similar to Tyson when he first came for the belt, he was just knocking people out, and he was a mentality monster”

– shares how Conor McGregor inspired him via his YT Channel

“One of the worst PPV's in UFC history... I feel bad for Ciryl Gane, even though it was his fault. It's was unintentional he didn't mean to do it”

– reacting to the anti climactic ending of the Tom Aspinall vs. Ciryl Gane fight at #UFC321 via YT

“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 never even really reacted there, because it was like, Ankalaev is going to single leg down and like, rest a little bit... And he just never [recovered]. My man, 12/6 is... He's so strong, so powerful, lad. Better for the UFC that he's champion, like, definitely more people are interested and want to watch him fight than Ankalaev”

– reacted to Alex Pereira's win at UFC 320.

“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]”