Paddy Pimblett: 'If Ilia Topuria beats | MMA News
The UFC light-weight division has a vacant title and getting old contenders.
Former featherweight champion Ilia Topuria (16-0) and former light-weight titleholder Charles Oliveira (35-10, 1 NC) will combat for the vacant title at UFC 317 on June 28 during the UFC’s annual International Fight Week.
Top pound-for-pound fighter Islam Makhachev vacated the 155-pound championship to transfer up to the welterweight division to problem for a second UFC divisional title.
Rising light-weight star Paddy Pimblett would personally somewhat see Oliveira win but is aware of if Topuria turns into champion that it could possibly be useful to his profession. After all, the 2 have historical past.
“It’s probably better for me if Ilia wins the belt because he’ll probably call me out,” Pimblett informed TNT Sports. “I don’t know who I want to win. I’m a fan of Charles, so I think I want Charles to win but it’s probably better for my career if Ilia wins because I’d more than likely be his first title defense.”
Pimblett believes a combat against Topuria is the second greatest matchup the group could make bridesmaid to a heavyweight unification bout between champion Jon Jones and interim titleholder Tom Aspinall.
“Apart from Jon Jones and Aspinall, I think that’s the biggest fight the UFC can make, me versus Ilia,” Pimblett mentioned. “There’s loads of history in it. There’s bad blood. People love all that sh*t.”
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The ‘unhealthy blood’ Pimblett referenced stemmed from online feedback that led to a bodily altercation at the fighter lodge in London during UFC Fight Night 204 combat week in March 2022. The two practically got here to blows at the UFC 282 Press Conference later that 12 months.
“It’s been four years in the making. He has done a lot in the sport since then,” Pimblett mentioned before trashing Topuria’s resume. “Every fight he got before the title Michael Chandler beats every single one of them. Bobby Green beats every single one of them.
“I do not assume he beats Volk (Alexander Volkanovski) if Volk hadn’t been knocked out three months earlier. I feel that’s one of the explanations he did transfer to light-weight because he did not need to have that rematch with Volk.”
Pimblett is ranked No. 8 in the division and is riding a nine-fight winning streak. He’s coming off a dominating win over former title challenger Michael Chandler.
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