Paddy Pimblett warns Arman Tsarukyan and Ilia Topuria, takes aim at 'proper b*tch' Justin Gaethje

There's no shortage of title contenders in the UFC's lightweight division, and they're all angling for a title shot against champion Ilia Topuria. 

Top ranked Arman Tsarukyan faces No. 6 ranked Dan Hooker in this weekend's UFC Qatar main event. With a win, Tsarukyan expects to face Topuria next. No. 4 ranked Justin Gaethje believes he deserves a title shot and has said he'll retire if he doesn't get one. No. 5 ranked Paddy Pimblett and Topuria have history, and that's who Topuria would like to face in his first title defense.

Interestingly, Pimblett and Topuria will be on hand in Qatar. The champion's brother, Aleksandre Topuria, fights on the preliminary card. Pimblett's teammates, Shaqueme Rock and Luke Riley, are also competing on the event's undercard. 

Considering their past, Pimblett warned 'bullies' Tsarukyan and Topuria that he won't be alone in Al Rayyan. 

"Arman and Ilia a both bullies and gang up on people when they're alone," Pimblett told JNMEDIAUK's Jamal Niaz. "Ilia tried to do it to me. Arman tried to do it to Bobby Green, but there'll be a team of us this time, so if they try and gang up on us they're going to get their eye wiped. They're going to get a couple of smacks."

With tensions high and the stakes even higher, it was just a matter of time before those vying for a title shot took aim at each other. While Pimblett considers Gaethje a legend, he criticized "The Highlight" giving a title shot or retirement ultimatum.

"I don't ever want to say a bad word about Justin Gaethje because he's a legend, but he's been doing interviews lately being a proper b*tch," Pimblett said. "Saying like the UFC owes him and he deserves it and all of that.

"No one's owed nothing. You fight for it. And my last win, I beat someone in a better fashion who was a higher ranked opponent than he won in his last fight. I know he's a legend and obviously he's done a lot for the company and all that, but he can't just demand a title shot. 

"Then you've got Arman who hasn't fought in, it'll be like 18 months or something like that. Me and Topuria's got the storyline built in. It's all there," continued Pimblett. "The storyline is already set up. It's all ready to go. I don't understand why it's not announced and why it's not already made and written in a contract. But we'll see what happens over the next few weeks."