Ilia Topuria Sends a Blistering Warning to Rising UFC Star
Ilia Topuria Sends a Blistering Warning to Rising UFC Star originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
As UFC 317 inches closer, the spotlight intensifies on Ilia Topuria, who is preparing for what many believe will be his toughest test yet—a title bout against former lightweight champion Charles Oliveira. Scheduled for June 28 in Las Vegas, the undefeated featherweight champion is set to challenge for the lightweight crown straight away, a bold move on its own. But outside the Octagon, Topuria has turned his attention toward a rising UFC name who isn't even on the card.
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The feud between Topuria and Pimblett is heating up fast. Both have had words for each other in the past. In a recent interview with ESPN Deportes, Topuria didn't hold back:
'Sometimes he flies under the radar, but have you noticed? He's another hypocrite—I'm telling you. I remember once we shared a press conference, and he told me something like, 'Oh look, I'm fighting on the main card and you're on the prelims'—some nonsense like that. And now I ask myself… I've got two belts—where is he? Who the f** is Paddy Pimblett right now? And why would he deserve to fight me?'*
Ilia TopuriaGetty Images
Topuria didn't stop there:
'Honestly, I can't stand the guy. If I could choose one fight, I'd fight him because people really dislike him. He's awful. It's like you shake his hand and he tries to bite it… Two people who really want to beat each other up. And what better than doing that in front of everyone and giving them a show?'
Paddy PimblettGetty Images
Pimblett, for his part, most recently made comments about Topuria during an appearance on the TNT Sports. He said:
'All his opponents on the bounce—Holloway just been fighting at 155, had to get back to 45 and had a war with Gaethje who had just been knocked out like two or three months earlier. Josh is like 37. Bryce—love him—but he's not a striker. Fought that Gracie... like, most of his fights coming up, you can compare them to my fights. People rag on my opponents too, you know what I mean?'
Pimblett added:
'I don't think he beat Volk if Volk hadn't been knocked out three months previous. I think that's one of the reasons he moved to lightweight—because he didn't want the rematch with Volk'
With UFC 317 scheduled for June 28, Topuria's immediate focus remains on Oliveira. But if he emerges victorious, there's no shortage of potential challengers. Justin Gaethje has already made it clear he wants the next title shot. However, a grudge match against Pimblett—with the bad blood already spilling—could draw even more fan interest. Either way, Topuria has options, and they're all high-stakes.
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Related: 'He Will Never Lose Again' – Hall of Fame Trainer Sounds Off on Merab Dvalishvili's Relentless Rise
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 13, 2025, where it first appeared.
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