Paddy Pimblett warns Arman Tsarukyan and Ilia | MMA News
There’s no scarcity of title contenders in the UFC’s light-weight 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 would not get one. No. 5 ranked Paddy Pimblett and Topuria have historical past, and that’s who Topuria would love to face in his first title protection.
Interestingly, Pimblett and Topuria shall 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 will not 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 larger, it was just a matter of time before those vying for a title shot took purpose at each other. While Pimblett considers Gaethje a legend, he criticized “The Highlight” giving a title shot or retirement ultimatum.
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“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 combat for it. And my last win, I beat somebody in a better fashion who was a larger ranked opponent than he received in his last combat. I do know he is a legend and clearly he is achieved a lot for the company and all that, but he cannot 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.”
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