This is a daily reminder that Paddy Pimblett doesn’t like Ilia Topria.
More than three years after their altercation at a London hotel went viral, Pimblett and Topuria have continued their heated exchange in interviews and on social media.
During a recent interview with Marca, the Liverpool-born fighter once again verbally attacked Topuria, calling the current lightweight world champion a “fake” and suggesting he is nothing more than a carbon copy of outspoken MMA icon Conor McGregor.
“He just piggybacked on it to get more fans and more followers,” Pimblett said. “He’s a fake. So fake, like half of his followers. It’s proven, half of his followers on Instagram are bought. He’s the most fake of all time. He’s just a (Conor) McGregor imitator. I’m tired of him.”
Pimblett lit the fuse in 2021 with a social media post directed at then-UFC fighter and Georgia native Gulam Kutteladze.
Pimblett tweeted: “So stupid this Georgia guy lol.” “No wonder Russians threaten their lives (lol).”
Pimblett’s post referenced Russia’s 2008 invasion of Georgia, in which more than 200 Georgian civilians lost their lives. Topria, who is of Georgian descent, knew many people who had died in the war. Naturally, Topuria took exception to Pimblett’s comments, sparking one of the fiercest personal rivalries in the UFC.
Paddy Pimblett accuses Topria of deceiving him
Both “El Matador” and “The Buddy” would appear to be on a collision course, as Topuria currently holds the lightweight title. But as Pimblett says, Topuria is avoiding the inevitable clash inside the Octagon.
“At the moment, I’m having a hard time playing,” Pimblett said. “People are talking behind the scenes, saying, ‘I want to fight him, I want to fight him.’ But when people ask me for a fight, they don’t take it. I’m just sitting dumbfounded and waiting for the fight. I was supposed to fight Justin Gaethje in Abu Dhabi in October, but he’s out. Dan Hooker is fighting Arman Tsarukyan. Charles just fought Gamlot. There’s no one else to fight besides Ilya Topria.
“I hope that fight gets resolved. If he had signed the contract, I think it would have been resolved by now, but he’s stalled. He’s another guy who talks about big games in front of the cameras, but when it comes to signing a contract, he won’t put his name on the contract.”