TLDR
- Paddy Pimblett says the UFC has not contacted him about a December fight with Ilia Topuria despite recent rumors
- Coach Tim Welch sparked speculation about the matchup, but Pimblett confirmed no discussions have taken place
- Pimblett and Topuria have feuded for years, including a 2022 hotel lobby incident involving hand sanitizer
- The Liverpool fighter wants to return in December and listed five potential opponents including Gaethje and Oliveira
- Pimblett most recently defeated Benoit Saint Denis by submission in 52 seconds at a July event in Las Vegas
Sources: yardbarker.com | yardbarker.com
Paddy Pimblett says the UFC has not approached him about fighting Ilia Topuria in December, despite recent rumors suggesting the matchup could happen before year’s end.
The Liverpool lightweight addressed the speculation in a video interview published by Sherdog. “I’d love to smash his head in, lad, but we need to wait and see,” Pimblett said. “No one spoke to me about it.”
The rumors started when Tim Welch, who coaches Sean O’Malley, claimed he heard talk that Pimblett and Topuria could meet in the final months of 2026. However, Pimblett confirmed that no one from the UFC has contacted him about any opponent for his next fight.
Pimblett holds a record of 24-4 and most recently defeated Benoit Saint Denis in July. He submitted Saint Denis with a choke in just 52 seconds at a Las Vegas event, marking one of his most impressive performances against a top-ranked opponent.
🚨 Paddy Pimblett addressed rumors of him fighting Ilia Topuria next:
“I’d love to smash [Ilia’s] head in lad, but we need to wait and see. No one spoke to me about it.
If I fight against this year it’ll be December.”
(via @EzeObasiETS) pic.twitter.com/pmmHBQi3mL
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) September 6, 2026
Long History of Rivalry Between Fighters
Pimblett and Topuria have feuded for several years. The conflict began when Pimblett made comments about Georgia that upset Topuria, who is from Tbilisi.
The rivalry intensified in 2022 when Pimblett threw a bottle of hand sanitizer at Topuria in a London hotel lobby. This incident led to Pimblett giving Topuria the nickname “sanitizer boy.”
The two fighters have clashed at multiple press conferences since then. Both men recently lost to Justin Gaethje and have traded criticism over those defeats.
Topuria previously held the featherweight championship but lost the belt to Gaethje. He is a former two-division champion in the UFC.
Multiple Potential Matchups on the Table
Pimblett confirmed he wants to return to the octagon in December if possible. He listed several top lightweight fighters he would be willing to face on short notice.
Arman Tsarukyan, current champion Justin Gaethje, Mauricio Ruffy, and Charles Oliveira all made his list of potential opponents. Pimblett currently sits at number five in the lightweight rankings.
“Arman, Gaethje, Ruffy, Charles,” Pimblett said. “There’s loads of names. When I get told who I’m fighting, I’m sure everyone else will know.”
The 28-year-old fighter has been inactive since his July victory over Saint Denis. He has not received word from the UFC about his next bout.
Pimblett said he is comfortable taking time away from competition but maintains title ambitions. A win over a top-ranked opponent like Topuria or any of the other fighters he mentioned would likely earn him a shot at the lightweight championship.
If Pimblett does fight in December, it would be his second appearance of 2026. He previously suffered a lightweight title loss earlier this year before bouncing back with the win over Saint Denis.
