Ilia Topuria revealed he was confident in Paddy Pimblett's victory at UFC 324 and started preparing for a potential bout against him in advance. Topuria's statement suggests he anticipated Pimblett winning his fight and viewed him as a likely future opponent. The featherweight champion appears to have been planning ahead for potential matchups. This demonstrates Topuria's strategic approach to opponent preparation. The post does not specify when exactly Topuria began his preparations or provide additional context about the timeline.
Ilia Topuria has revealed he was already deep into preparation for a potential fight with Paddy Pimblett before UFC 324 took place, expressing that he was confident the Liverpool fighter would emerge victorious from his bout at that event.
Topuria, known as "El Matador," currently sits at number one on the pound-for-pound rankings and is ranked second in the lightweight division with a record of 17 wins and 1 loss. The 29-year-old representing Spain trains out of Climent Club and brings a well-rounded offensive game, landing 4.81 significant strikes per minute at 48 percent accuracy while also averaging nearly two takedown attempts per 15 minutes.
Pimblett, nicknamed "The Baddy," holds a record of 23-4 and is ranked sixth at lightweight. The 31-year-old from England trains with Next Generation MMA Liverpool and has built a reputation as an aggressive finisher. He lands 5.49 significant strikes per minute with 52 percent accuracy and averages 1.2 submission attempts per 15 minutes, giving him a dangerous all-around presence on the feet and on the mat.
Why it matters
- Topuria's comments signal that Pimblett is firmly on his radar as a potential next lightweight opponent
- A matchup would pit the division's second-ranked fighter against the sixth-ranked contender, with significant ranking implications
- Both fighters are orthodox strikers who press the action, setting up a high-output striking contest with submission threats on the ground
- Topuria's stated confidence in Pimblett's UFC 324 result underlines the strategic calculation behind how top-ranked fighters monitor the division
