Paddy Pimblett sends scathing message to Ilia Topuria amid UFC lightweight move

Paddy Pimblett is hoping to get a chance to face Ilia Topuria.

Pimblett and Topuria have had some beef over the years. “The Baddy” even threw a hand sanitizer bottle at “La Leyenda” in a fighter hotel lobby. The two have continued to trade barbs, and it’s left many wondering if a matchup will become a reality in the future.

If it does happen, Pimblett believes it’ll be a bad night for Topuria.

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No Love Lost

Appearing on Full Send MMA, Paddy Pimblett went off on Ilia Topuria, making it clear that he wants to share the Octagon with him one day (via MMAMania).

“No, I don’t want him to be champ,” Pimblett said of Topuria. “I don’t want him to be champ at all. F—k that midget. I’d rather win the belt, then he can fight me for the title when I got it. And then I’ll have my first defense smashing his little teeth in.”

Pimblett is set to do battle with Michael Chandler on the main card of UFC 314 on April 12 in Miami. If he can get past Chandler, “The Baddy” plans to fight a highly-ranked lightweight.

“Obviously I don’t look past the opponent,” he began. “But I beat Michael Chandler, finish Michael Chandler in two [rounds], and then I gotta fight someone like Charles Oliveira in Abu Dhabi. Charles or Justin [Gaethje]. Dustin [Poirier] is gonna be retired by then. Or even Armen [Tsarukyan], but I think he’ll have a fight by then. Once I beat them, fight for a title in 2026. That’s my road now, that’s the path I’m gonna follow.”

Fans continue to wait for news on what’s next for Topuria. A lightweight title fight against Islam Makhachev hasn’t been a lock. Some are calling for “La Leyenda” to have a No. 1 contender fight before competing for the 155-pound gold.