Paddy Pimblett taunts Ilia Topuria: 'Sign the contract'

Rising lightweight star Paddy Pimblett and lightweight champion Ilia Topuria have history. The two do not like each other, and both would like to settle it inside the octagon.

Topuria relinquished his featherweight championship to move up to the 155-pound weight class to pursue a second UFC divisional title. He knocked out former champion Charles Oliveira at UFC 317 in June and joined the exclusive club of two-division champions. Who he'll face in his first title defense remains uncertain, but he and Pimblett have a built-in storyline. 

Their feud dates back years. It began from online comments by Pimblett about Topuria's countrymen. That led to a physical altercation at the fighter hotel in London during UFC Fight Night 204 fight week in March 2022. The two nearly came to blows at the UFC 282 Press Conference later that year.

Pimblett's in the gym preparing for his next fight and waiting to hear if it'll be against the champion. 

"Still in limbo, waiting for some news for Paddy. He's obviously training very hard. Always training to beat the best guys in the division," said Pimblett's coach Paul Rimmer on Pimblett's YouTube channel. "It would be great if he had some like focus, a name, a date. It's just something solid. He's training well, training hard. Looking really good, peak condition. Just need a date and an opponent. now."

Pimblett's striking coach, Ellis Hampson, has been game planning to face Topuria next. It's the fight he wants.

"Paddy's just been working towards getting his nexts fight. He's still waiting to hear. He's been told a possible date. Working on strength and conditioning, getting his weight down, working towards a date like he's fighting hopefully Ilia," said Hampson. "Working about some game plan and stuff for Ilia. Waiting on some confirmation so we can get some news, start working towards an opponent."

"He's never really had that much of bad blood with an opponent before. Little bits or arguing at press conferences, but he and Ilia don't like each other so that's the fight I think the UFC is going to make and. that's the fight that they both want," continued Hampson. 

Pimblett urged Topuria to 'sign the contact' in the video and taunted the champion. 

"All Ilia's ever done is talk sh*t about me, saying I'm sh*t, saying I don't deserve to fight him," Pimblett said. "After his last fight, I get in the cage and he pushes me. I think it's happening, and now all of sudden he's stalling. He's not saying yes to the fight. He's staling. 

"If I'm not sh*t lad, why don't you just want to take an easy fight and beat me down? Step up. As [Mike] Tyson said, 'Sign the contract big boy.'"