One of UFC featherweight champion Ilia Topuria’s biggest adversaries believes he’s lying about his move to lightweight.
Ilia Topuria is making the full-time move to lightweight just months after defending the featherweight belt for the first time. While Topuria’s addition to the lightweight division is exciting, not everyone is fond of his decision to pivot away from a rematch with Alexander Volkanovski.
Minutes after knocking out Max Holloway at UFC 308, Topuria turned his attention toward a rematch with Volkanovski after their UFC 298 headliner last year. The two had a brief post-fight interaction in the Octagon, and the featherweight titleholder seemed on board with granting Volkanovski another shot at the title.
But Topuria changed his mind and announced a full-time move to lightweight, setting up Volkanovski to face Diego Lopes at UFC 314. One of Topuria’s biggest enemies believes the featherweight champ is lying about his allegedly rough weight cuts to 145 lbs.
Paddy Pimblett claims Ilia Topuria ‘ran’ from Alexander Volkanovski rematch
During a recent interview with CBS Sports‘s Shakiel Mahjouri, Paddy Pimblett was asked for his first thoughts upon learning about Topuria’s lightweight move.
“I was thinking ‘Wow, you’re stupid. Why did you move up to this division?'” Pimblett said of Topuria. “He’s tiny. He’s like 5’5″, 5’6”. He has the audacity to call me fat when he says he can’t make 145 anymore when he’s a midget, it just doesn’t make sense. I think he ran from 145 to be honest. Because he knew [Volkanovski] coming off a knockout loss 12 weeks earlier he would give him a much tougher fight than his first fight with him.
“And he also had [Diego] Lopes to fight. I would’ve had a lot more respect for Ilia if he defended that belt two more times, and I think he would’ve been able to keep his belt, not vacate it, and move up to fight Islam or whoever has the belt at the time. But I don’t think he deserves a straight title shot and I don’t think the UFC do either.”
If Topurria doesn’t get the next lightweight title shot against Islam Makhachev, a long-awaited clash with Pimblett could be on the horizon. Pimblett recently included Topuria on a three-man hit list after his upcoming fight with Michael Chandler.
Ilia Topuria nearing ‘unbelievable’ lightweight fight announcement
After Dana White’s noncommittal stance on Makhachev vs. Topuria, Topuria could potentially face a top contender before earning a title shot. A matchup with UFC 313 winner Justin Gaethje is possible, as well as a clash with former titleholder Charles Oliveira.
Pimblett has the chance to get into the title mix in his upcoming fight at UFC 314. He and Topuria have an extensive history of bad blood.
Topuria and Pimblett got into a fighter hotel altercation leading up to a UFC Fight Night event in London back in 2022. The two fighters also nearly came to blows at the UFC 282 pre-fight press conference, and a fight seemed destined to come to fruition after both fighters left the event victorious.
Topuria pivoted on facing Pimblett in 2023, questioning the UK fighter’s star power and achievements. After Topuria announced his move to 155 lbs in recent months, the debate over a fight with Pimblett ramped up.
Topuria and Pimblett could settle their years-long beef inside the Octagon in 2025. But for now, as the featherweight division enters a new era, Pimblett believes Topuria’s legacy is tarnished.