TLDR
- Ilia Topuria called Paddy Pimblett a ‘little sausage’ after his loss to Justin Gaethje in an interim title fight
- Topuria said he was surprised by how bad Pimblett performed and expected him to win the fight
- The lightweight champion believes Pimblett lacks the skills and technique to improve as a fighter
- Topuria said Pimblett ‘needs to die and be born again’ to gain the necessary skills for championship level
- Topuria will now face Justin Gaethje at the UFC White House card instead of Pimblett
Sources: BJPenn.com | Bloody Elbow | MMA Fighting | Sherdog
UFC lightweight champion Ilia Topuria harshly criticized Paddy Pimblett following Pimblett’s recent loss to Justin Gaethje, calling the British fighter a “little sausage.” The comments came during an interview with Ariel Helwani on April 20, 2026.
Topuria was watching the interim lightweight title fight between Gaethje and Pimblett closely, as the winner was set to be his next opponent. He admitted he expected Pimblett to win the fight but was surprised by what he saw.
“At some point, I was rooting for Paddy, as I was thinking that fight would be much bigger than the Justin fight,” Topuria said. “But, everything happens for a reason.”
The champion said he was shocked by Pimblett’s performance. “I was a little surprised at how bad Paddy really is,” Topuria continued.
Topuria had expected Pimblett to use his grappling skills to take Gaethje down and control the fight. Instead, Pimblett’s performance left the champion unimpressed.
“I was expecting him to win, to be honest, to take him down, a different fight,” Topuria explained. “What he did inside the Octagon in that fight really surprised me. He really proved that he’s a little sausage.”
Ilia Topuria calls Paddy Pimblett a 'sausage' after his fight with Justin Gaethje at #UFC324 😬#UFC #MMA pic.twitter.com/btYdCyHT6f
— UFC on TNT Sports (@ufcontnt) April 21, 2026
Champion Dismisses Future Fight
Topuria went further, suggesting that Pimblett’s loss proved they don’t need to fight at all. The champion believes everyone now knows how limited Pimblett is as a fighter.
The lightweight champion also questioned whether Pimblett has the ability to improve his skills. Topuria doesn’t think the British fighter has the technical foundation needed to compete at the championship level.
“How is he going to gain the skills and technique needed in this sport?” Topuria asked. “That’s basically impossible. He needs to die and be born again.”
Topuria said he feels satisfied that he didn’t even need to step into the octagon to prove his superiority over Pimblett. “I didn’t even have to step inside the octagon to beat him, so that feels even a little bit better, to be honest,” he added.
The champion believes that even if they fought, he would dominate Pimblett easily. Topuria thinks Pimblett lacks the skills to pose any real threat.
Gaethje Fight Set for White House Card
With Pimblett out of contention, Topuria will now face Justin Gaethje at the upcoming UFC White House card. The fight is expected to be an exciting matchup for fans.
Topuria had initially thought a fight with Pimblett would be bigger for promotion and fan interest. However, Gaethje’s victory changed those plans.
The loss puts Pimblett in a difficult position in the lightweight division. He will need to rebuild his reputation with wins in future fights.
A matchup between Topuria and Pimblett could still happen in the future if Pimblett can bounce back. However, based on Topuria’s comments, he has little interest in facing “The Baddy” after seeing his performance against Gaethje.
Topuria currently holds the lightweight championship and will defend it against Gaethje at the White House card. The event is scheduled to take place in the coming months.
