Paddy Pimblett isn’t holding back when it comes to Ilia Topuria’s decision to relinquish his featherweight title and transition to lightweight. The outspoken UFC fighter recently slammed the undefeated Spaniard, calling his shift to 155 pounds “stupid” and even accused him of avoiding stronger opponents. But why? Well, Pimblett believes Topuria should have stayed in his division and defended his championship rather than diving right into the lightweight title fight. If that wasn’t enough, he dived deeper into this brutal reality check for ‘El Matador.’
In a tense interview, his frustration was obvious as he mocked Topuria’s size and questioned if he deserved a shot at Islam Makhachev. “I was thinking, ‘Wow, you’re stupid.’ Why have you moved up to this division? Like, he’s tiny. He’s like 5’5″, 5’6″. I don’t understand why, like, he has the audacity to call me fat when he’s saying he can’t make 145 anymore when he’s a midget. Like, it just doesn’t make sense.” ‘ The Baddy’ further stated that Ilia Topuria avoided featherweight fighters such as Alexander Volkanovski, Movsar Evloev, and Diego Lopes.
“I think he ran from 145 to be honest,” Pimblett added, noting that a well-rested Volkanovski would have been a much tougher challenge. The Spanish-Georgian’s move, according to the 30-year-old, was motivated by the desire to avoid dangerous competitors rather than the pursuit of excellence. He also denied the idea of ‘El Matador’ obtaining an instant title and an opportunity at lightweight, suggesting that he first face someone in the top three before challenging Makhachev’s belt.
‘The Baddy’ is skeptical of Ilia Topuria‘s star power, claiming that he lacks Conor McGregor’s ability to easily move weight classes and demand title fights. On the other hand, ‘El Matador’ has time and again brushed aside Pimblett’s comments, referring to him as “fat” and out of shape while he wasn’t at camp. The two’s verbal spat has fueled talk of a possible matchup. It remains to be seen whether Topuria can prove his worth as a lightweight, but Pimblett has made it clear that he is not impressed with his opponent’s recent move. In fact, he even claimed that the Spanish-Georgian is simply trying to imitate Conor McGregor.
Paddy Pimblett claims Ilia Topuria is trying to copy Conor McGregor
Paddy Pimblett and Ilia Topuria have had a longstanding feud, dating back to their infamous hotel incident in 2022, when Pimblett threw a bottle of hand sanitizer at ‘El Matador.’ While they have yet to fight in the octagon, their paths may meet as Topuria prepares for his lightweight debut. With Pimblett’s profile rising in the division, a future bout between the two seems imminent. However, for now, it is just a war of words between the two. And during the aforementioned interview, ‘The Baddy’ dropped the major claim that the Spanish-Georgian is simply trying to imitate Conor McGregor.
Pimblett believes Topuria’s quick transition to lightweight is more than just chasing another belt; it’s about following Conor McGregor’s blueprint. ‘ The Baddy’ wasn’t shy in mocking the featherweight champion’s attempts to imitate McGregor’s career moves. Pimblett believes Topuria’s quick transition to lightweight is more than just chasing another belt; it’s about following Conor McGregor’s blueprint. ‘ The Baddy’ wasn’t shy in mocking the featherweight champion’s attempts to imitate McGregor’s career moves. “I think it’s the Conor McGregor effect,” Pimblett said.
“Everyone wants to be Conor McGregor. Ilia Topuria’s the worst for it. He copied his chest tattoo and his back tattoo and all that; he just wants to be Conor McGregor.” However, the 30-year-old claimed that ‘El Matador’ lacks the personality to pull it off. “You can’t be Conor McGregor when you’ve got the charisma of a tin of beans, so it’s one of them.” Well, it looks like Paddy Pimblett is more invested in his feud against Topuria than his future opponent, Michael Chandler, as the two square off at UFC 314. So, what do you think? Do you believe Paddy Pimblett and Ilia Topuria may square off soon? Let us know in the comments.
The post Replying to ‘Fat’ Remarks, Paddy Pimblett Exposes Ilia Topuria’s Reality Behind Unexpected Featherweight Move appeared first on EssentiallySports.