TLDR
- Paddy Pimblett believes Ilia Topuria will never be the same after losing to Justin Gaethje at UFC White House
- Topuria’s corner stopped the fight before the fifth round, ending his undefeated record
- Pimblett claims Topuria has never faced adversity and lacks the mental toughness to recover
- Pimblett lost to Gaethje by decision in January but says his experience with loss gives him an advantage
- Pimblett fights Benoit Saint Denis at UFC 329 next month before any potential Topuria matchup
Sources: mmafighting.com
Paddy Pimblett believes Ilia Topuria’s career has been permanently damaged after losing to Justin Gaethje at UFC White House. The Liverpool fighter questioned whether Topuria has the mental strength to recover from the first defeat of his career.
Gaethje defeated Topuria for the lightweight title on June 15, 2026, when Topuria’s corner threw in the towel before the fifth round. The stoppage marked the end of Topuria’s undefeated record and raised questions about his future in the sport.
“Ilia’s never had to come back from adversity,” Pimblett said during an appearance on Demetrious Johnson’s YouTube channel. “Ilia’s only ever been the hammer. He’s never been the nail.”
Pimblett competed against Gaethje himself in January, losing a decision in an interim lightweight title fight. He argued that his experience with loss gives him an advantage over Topuria moving forward.
Pimblett Questions Topuria’s Mindset
The British fighter believes Topuria’s confident personality worked against him in the Gaethje fight. Topuria had celebrated the night before the bout and predicted an early knockout.
Paddy Pimblett: ‘’Ilia hiçbir zaman bir olumsuzluktan, zor bir durumdan geri dönmek zorunda kalmadı. Ilia her zaman çekiç olan taraftı, hiçbir zaman çivi olmadı.
Ilia Topuria'nın bir daha asla eskisi gibi olabileceğini sanmıyorum. Tüm o zihniyeti, tüm o… Nasıl desem, egosu… pic.twitter.com/zgKzzR5Ays
— Kırmızı Köşe (@KirmiziKoseMMA) June 24, 2026
“His whole mindset, his whole ego is like, ‘I’m undefeated. No one can beat me,'” Pimblett explained. “I just don’t think he’ll ever be the same. He’s never had to come back from something like that.”
Pimblett referenced Gaethje’s pre-fight predictions about the later rounds affecting Topuria. When the fight extended past the first and second rounds, Pimblett believes doubt crept into Topuria’s mind.
“So when it goes past the first and then past the second, it’s in Ilia’s head already,” Pimblett said. “‘Oh my god, he’s right!’ I don’t think Ilia’s as mentally tough as he thinks he is.”
The two fighters have a long history of verbal conflicts dating back years. They even shared an in-cage face-off after Topuria won the lightweight title last year, though they have never actually fought each other.
Weight Class Debate Continues
Pimblett dismissed the idea that Topuria poses a serious threat to him, citing weight class differences. Topuria previously competed at featherweight before moving up to lightweight.
“He’s a featherweight. That’s why we have weight classes,” Pimblett stated. “He’s a fat featherweight. He thinks he’s a lightweight. He’s not a lightweight, lad.”
Pimblett claimed he could withstand Topuria’s power and believes he would win a potential matchup between them. “I would take his punches all day and laugh in his face, and punch him in the face, and he’d know about it,” he said.
Topuria is not expected to fight again in 2026 due to the damage he sustained against Gaethje. He has publicly stated his intention to return to competition stronger than before.
Pimblett offered to be Topuria’s first opponent upon his return. “I’d happily be his first fight back,” Pimblett said.
Before any potential matchup with Topuria can happen, Pimblett must focus on his next fight. He faces Benoit Saint Denis in the co-main event of UFC 329 next month.
