TLDR
- Paddy Pimblett says he will ‘terrorize’ Ilia Topuria and Arman Tsarukyan but would respect Max Holloway and Charles Oliveira
- Pimblett and Topuria have had beef since 2021, including a physical altercation at a fighter hotel
- The Liverpool fighter called Tsarukyan a ‘rich kid’ living on his father’s money with no respect for him
- Pimblett finished Benoit Saint Denis in the first round at UFC 329 in July after losing to Justin Gaethje earlier this year
- Tsarukyan faces Mauricio Ruffy at UFC 331 on September 19, while Topuria has not booked his return fight
Sources: mmafighting.com | mmasucka.com
Paddy Pimblett has set his sights on two potential opponents following his first-round finish of Benoit Saint Denis at UFC 329 in July. The Liverpool fighter says he will treat Ilia Topuria and Arman Tsarukyan very differently than other lightweight contenders.
Speaking on the Green Light podcast with Chris Long, Pimblett explained how he plans to approach fights based on his respect for his opponents. He singled out Topuria and Tsarukyan as targets for verbal attacks.
“If I fight Ilia or Arman, I’m gonna absolutely rinse their lives. I’m gonna absolutely terrorize them,” Pimblett said. “But if I fight Max Holloway or Charles Oliveira I wouldn’t, because I respect them and I like them.”
Pimblett’s strong words come after he bounced back from his loss to Justin Gaethje for the interim lightweight belt earlier this year. He needs another victory to earn a title shot.
Long-Standing Beef With Topuria
The tension between Pimblett and Topuria dates back to 2021. The two fighters had a physical altercation at a fighter hotel and nearly came to blows during the UFC 282 press conference in 2022.
Paddy Pimblett after watching Islam Makhachev beat Ian Garry:
“It’s nice he’s not in my division anymore. He’s the best in the world.”
(via @PaddyTheBaddy) pic.twitter.com/ItRB4B8uQk
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) August 20, 2026
“Don’t get me wrong, I respect Ilia, but we’ve had beef for years,” Pimblett said. “I think he’s a little helmet. I’d love to fight him and give him shit.”
Topuria recently suffered his first career loss in a UFC title unification bout against Gaethje in June. The former two-division champion has not yet booked his return fight.
Gaethje has rejected a rematch with Topuria. This means the Spaniard will likely need a tune-up fight before returning to title contention.
No Respect for Tsarukyan
Pimblett had harsher words for Tsarukyan, the number one lightweight contender. He questioned the fighter’s background rather than his skills.
“Arman Tsarukyan, I’ve got no respect for at all. He’s just rich kid, who’s daddy’s a millionaire,” Pimblett said. “Without that, he wouldn’t be where he is. He’s sitting there eating caviar for $2,000 for breakfast.”
Pimblett acknowledged Tsarukyan is a “good fighter” but criticized him for “living on daddy’s money.” He believes Tsarukyan would not have reached his current position without his father’s financial support.
Tsarukyan is scheduled to face Mauricio Ruffy in the co-main event of UFC 331 on September 19. This booking makes a fight with Pimblett unlikely in the near future.
Pimblett holds an 8-1 record in the UFC. His recent performance against Saint Denis in the co-main event of Max Holloway versus Conor McGregor in July re-established him as a contender.
With Tsarukyan booked for next month and the existing history between Pimblett and Topuria, a matchup between the Liverpool fighter and the former champion appears to be the most logical next step. Both fighters need a win to get back into title contention after their losses to Gaethje.
