Paddy Pimblett hits back at claims that he is ‘not deserving’ of a UFC lightweight title fight against bitter rival Ilia Topuria | WWE News
Paddy Pimbelett rippied to affirm that he “does not deserve” a fight for the light title of the UFC against the bitter rival Ilia Topuria.
The Spaniard welcomed a fight against Pimbett because they had a heated head to head after Topuria claimed the vacant belt at the UFC 317 with a KO in the first round of Charles Oliveira earlier this month.
Pimbett propelled himself into the title with a third round stop by Michael Chandler in April.
“It annoys me when people say that I don’t deserve when Islam [Makhachev] I had a title after beating Bobby Green, and I beat him faster, “he said.
“”[Charles] Oliveira has just received another title drawn by beating [Michael] Chandler with whom he went to the decision and almost finished, when I defeated chandle for three laps and beat him like no one has already done.
Michael Chandler, on the left, and Paddy Pimbett fight during a combat of mixed martial arts at the UFC 314, Sunday April 13, 2025, in Miami. (AP photo / Lynne Sladky)
“People just have a different opinion when it is me, while these other fighters all go well, they give them a title shot.
“People say [Justin] Gaethje when Gaethje has just beat rank 11 or 12 and the return of the abandonment of the year against [Max] Holloway in a fight he lost.
“You can probably make arguments for several people, but the fact that he and I have history, I think, apart from Ilia and Islam which are book for number one book and two, me against Ilia is the biggest fight that the UFC can make.”
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The new UFC light champion, Ilia Topuria, reveals why he wants to fight Paddy Pimbett afterwards.
The heated quarrel of the pair dates back to 2022 when Pimbett made comments online, leading to a physical altercation at the Fighter Hotel in London during the UFC Fight Night 204 in March of the same year.
“If you are ready, I’m here” – What happened to the UFC 317?
After Topuria scored an astonishing victory in direct elimination of the first round on Oliveira to win the Light title of the UFC at the UFC 317 last month, Pimbett was summoned in the ring to look in the audience, where a heated exchange led to Topuria pushing the eighth competitor classified and lighting a rivalry ago.
“Let’s border ourselves! If you’re ready, I’m here,” said Topuria to Pimbett before entering the ring.
Paddy Pimbelett reacts after defeating Michael Chandler during a combat of mixed martial arts at the UFC 314 in April in April
The former Topuria featherweight champion announced in February that he was going to go to the 155 pound division to fight for the belt released by the passage of former Makhachev champion to the Welters weight division.
Oliveira, who was stripped of the light belt in May 2022, when he missed the weight for a defense against Justin Gaethje, looked good during a brief exchange on the carpet, but Topuria disengaged to bring back the fight to the feet, and shortly after the evening of Oliveira.
The 28 -year -old was amazed oliveira with a right hook and followed him with a left of crisis which sent Oliveira crashing on the carpet, his eyes victims while his back struck the canvas while Topuria filled his prediction before the fight of a victory with direct elimination.
“I have already said it – I represent the new generation of the mixture of martial arts, this is the next level of the game. This is the next thing, and that’s what I represent,” said Topuria in a post -combat interview. “I did exactly what we had planned, a lot of strokes, the right hand, the left hook and the boom – its lights were turned off.”
