Ilia Topuria shreds Paddy Pimblett and claims rivals will never fight after Justin Gaethje loss

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Ilia Topuria shreds Paddy Pimblett and claims rivals will never fight after Justin Gaethje loss

Originally posted on Bloody Elbow | By Donagh Corby | Last updated Apr 21, 2026 12:44 AM ET

Ilia Topuria has torn into Paddy Pimblett, insisting that the pair’s chances of ever fighting ended back in January.

Topuria is set to return to the octagon in the main event of UFC White House, where he will unify the division against Justin Gaethje. But it would have been the end of one of MMA’s most bitter feuds against Pimblett had the Brit won the interim belt in the main event of UFC 324.

Now, Topuria believes that it is going to be too difficult for Pimblett – who was undefeated in the octagon until January – to reclaim a spot atop the division.

Ilia Topuria claims Paddy Pimblett fight is now impossible after defeat

Ilia Topuria appeared on tonight’s episode of The Ariel Helwani Show, and held nothing back as he tore into a number of rivals. Arman Tsarukyan and even Justin Gaethje received verbal beatings, but his most withering and harsh criticism came towards his oldest rival.

“I was a little surprised of how bad Paddy really is,” Topuria recalled when asked about his long-time rival. “I was expecting him to win, be honest. I was expecting him to take Justin down, to, I don’t know, do a different fight. Like to really fight.

“But what he did inside the Octagon in that fight, it surprised me a little bit. He really proved that he’s a little sausage.”

When Helwani asked how Pimblett will rebound from the loss, Topuria laughed off the idea, adding: “Rebound from what? From a loss? Of course, but how he’s going to gain the skills, the technique in the sport? Like, that’s basically impossible. He needs to die and be born again.

“Now he’s too far [from the top fighters in the division]. We don’t see Paddy in the horizon. We don’t see him anymore. Bye, Paddy. I didn’t even have to go inside the Octagon to beat him. So that feels even a little bit better, to be honest.”

This article first appeared on Bloody Elbow and was syndicated with permission.

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