TLDR
- Paddy Pimblett called Ilia Topuria a ‘fat featherweight’ and said he’s too small for the lightweight division
- Pimblett faces Benoit Saint Denis at UFC 329 on July 11 after losing to Justin Gaethje in January
- Topuria recently lost to Gaethje via fourth-round TKO at UFC Freedom 250 on June 14
- The rivalry between Pimblett and Topuria dates back to 2021 and has included physical altercations
- Pimblett said Topuria’s facial injuries will keep him sidelined and delay any potential fight between them
Sources: mmasucka.com
Paddy Pimblett has launched another verbal attack on longtime rival Ilia Topuria, calling him a “fat featherweight” who doesn’t belong in the lightweight division. The comments come as Pimblett prepares to fight Benoit Saint Denis at UFC 329 on July 11.
Pimblett spoke with the Spinnin Backfist MMA Show about his upcoming fight and addressed questions about a potential matchup with Topuria. The British fighter said Topuria’s facial injuries from his recent loss to Justin Gaethje make a fight between them unlikely in the near future.
“You know, everyone keeps saying fight Ilia next. But that man’s face is mashed up, lad,” Pimblett said. “He’s not coming back before the end of the year, and I’d like to fight again before the end of the year.”
Pimblett Questions Topuria’s Lightweight Credentials
Pimblett went further by questioning whether Topuria is big enough to compete at lightweight. The Liverpudlian fighter said weight classes exist for a reason and claimed Topuria would return to featherweight after fighting him.
“Ilia Topuria is a fat featherweight. You know what I mean? He’s not a lightweight, lad,” Pimblett stated. “And if I ever fight him, people will realize that.”
Ilia Topuria vs Paddy Pimblett is what we all wanna see next 🤧 🔥 pic.twitter.com/bo3WWb0Elq
— Diego (@woza_diego) June 30, 2026
Pimblett added that if they fought, Topuria “will move back down to ’45 because he will realize how small he is for the weight.”
Both fighters recently competed against Justin Gaethje with different results. Pimblett lost a unanimous decision to Gaethje in an interim UFC lightweight title fight in January.
Gaethje then faced Topuria at UFC Freedom 250 on June 14, winning via fourth-round TKO to capture the UFC lightweight championship. Topuria reportedly suffered serious facial damage in the fight.
Pimblett explained that fighting Gaethje helped him understand how “weird” and effective the American’s fighting style is. This experience led him to predict Gaethje would defeat Topuria.
Long History of Bad Blood Between Fighters
The rivalry between Pimblett and Topuria stretches back several years. It started when Pimblett made controversial comments about the Russo-Georgian war that drew criticism from Topuria, who is Georgian-Spanish.
The feud turned physical in March 2022 at a UFC fighter hotel before UFC London. Pimblett threw a bottle of hand sanitizer at Topuria while security separated them.
Freedom 250 Draws Double the Viewers of Netflix’s Rousey vs. Carano Fight
The two fighters nearly came to blows again at the UFC 282 press conference later in 2022. They have continued trading insults on social media and in interviews since then.
Topuria posted a screenshot of Pimblett’s controversial tweet about the Russia-Georgia conflict in April 2021. The post remains on Topuria’s X account and includes the message: “This tweet will haunt you for life!”
Pimblett said he would need to beat Saint Denis and another top contender before earning another UFC lightweight title shot against Gaethje. Other lightweight contenders like Arman Tsarukyan and Charles Oliveira are also pursuing title fights.
Topuria has called for an immediate rematch with Gaethje. However, his recovery from the injuries sustained at UFC Freedom 250 is expected to keep him out of action for several months.
Pimblett’s fight against Benoit Saint Denis takes place at UFC 329 on July 11.
