"If I see him in the supermarket, I smash him right there" - Ilia Topuria explains why Paddy Pimblett beef is personal
Ilia Topuria has made it clear that he is not a fan of Paddy Pimblett following their altercation at the fighter hotel ahead of UFC Fight Night 204. The No.3-ranked featherweight recently revealed that the unranked lightweight is the only fighter he genuinely dislikes.
Speaking with Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour, 'El Matador' stated:
"I take every fight as a professional. I look to all my opponents as a professional, but with him, it's personal. If I see him in the supermarket, I smash him right there... Professional? He's not even ranked. Did you watch his last fight [at UFC 296 against Tony Ferguson]? It was embarrassing. His last fight was embarrassing... The level he showed in that fight, that's embarrassing. He looked like a beginner."
Check out Ilia Topuria's comments on Paddy Pimblett below:
Topuria had previously angled for a bout against Pimblett after the latter made light of the war between Russia and Georgia. 'El Matador', who lost family members to the war, was one of several Georgian fighters to call out 'The Baddy' for his comments.
The No.3-ranked featherweight confronted the unranked lightweight ahead of UFC Fight Night 204, leading to an altercation. While they also fought on the same card at UFC 282, Topuria claimed that Pimblett was avoiding him. He later revealed that he no longer has interest in facing the lightweight contender ahead of his main event debut at UFC on ABC 5.
Check out footage of Ilia Topuria's altercation with Paddy Pimblett below:
Ilia Topuria reveals that he is hoping to face Conor McGregor
Ilia Topuria is set to challenge Alexander Volkanovski for the featherweight title when the pair face off at UFC 298 in less than two weeks. During a recent appearance on The MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani, the No.3-ranked featherweight revealed that he is hoping to face Conor McGregor next, stating:
"Conor McGregor, that's the fight I'm looking for. He has a great fight, his upcoming fight with Michael Chandler. If he doesn't get his a** whooped, he will be pleasured to share the octagon with me and maybe in UFC Spain. We're both from Europe and he will be able to [go] back home and tell his wife, 'Baby, take out the red panties, Topuria kept us rich'."
Check out Ilia Topuria's comments on facing Conor McGregor below:
Topuria added that he is hoping for the bout to take place at Santiago Bernabeu Stadium in Madrid. He noted that the promotion will take their first trip to Spain in 2024.