Ilia Topuria stated that he was confident in Paddy Pimblett's victory at UFC 324 and began preparing for a potential fight against him beforehand. The post suggests Topuria anticipated Pimblett's win and started training for that matchup. However, no official announcement of this fight has been made. The post includes fan reactions asking whether they would prefer to see Topuria face Pimblett or Justin Gaethje next. Topuria's statement indicates his proactive approach to planning future opponents.
Ilia Topuria has revealed that he anticipated Paddy Pimblett's victory at UFC 324 and began preparing for a potential matchup against the Liverpool fighter before the result was even in.
Topuria, who holds a 17-1-0 record and is currently ranked second in the lightweight division, made the disclosure in a post that drew widespread attention from fans. The 29-year-old Spaniard, who also sits atop the pound-for-pound rankings, has developed a reputation for proactive opponent planning. Fighting out of Climent Club in an orthodox stance, "El Matador" brings elite finishing ability to the 155-pound division, landing 4.81 significant strikes per minute at 48 percent accuracy while averaging nearly two takedowns per 15 minutes.
Pimblett, now 23-4-0 and ranked sixth at lightweight following his UFC 324 performance, gave Topuria the target he was apparently already preparing for. The 31-year-old Englishman out of Next Generation MMA Liverpool is a dynamic offensive fighter, averaging 5.49 significant strikes per minute at 52 percent accuracy. He also carries a credible submission threat at 1.2 attempts per 15 minutes, adding grappling complexity to any potential matchup with Topuria.
No official bout agreement has been announced, and it remains unclear whether the UFC will move in this direction or instead book Topuria against Justin Gaethje, whose name has also surfaced in fan discussions surrounding the champion's next opponent.
Why it matters
- Topuria holds the No. 1 pound-for-pound ranking and a top-two divisional slot, making any fight he takes a major event
- Pimblett's climb to sixth in the lightweight rankings gives a Topuria matchup genuine divisional weight
- Both fighters are orthodox strikers with active submission games, setting up a technically layered style clash
