Ilia Topuria’s next UFC lightweight opponent teased by longtime rival in cryptic post

UFC lightweight champion Ilia Topuria’s first title defense could come against a longtime rival after a social media post went viral.

Ilia Topuria followed up his confident talk with brutal action as he knocked out Charles Oliveira at UFC 317 earlier this year to win the then-vacant UFC lightweight belt. Topuria vacated the UFC featherweight title earlier this year for a full-time move to lightweight, and dominated one of the division’s top names.

Since Topuria’s title win, several names are being tossed around for his first opponent as champion, including top contender Arman Tsarukyan. But Tsarukyan is slated to face Dan Hooker in the UFC Qatar main event next month in a likely No. 1 contender bout.

Unless the Tsarukyan vs. Hooker winner makes a quick turnaround, Topuria’s next opponent remains up in the air. But we might’ve gotten some answers on Friday courtesy of one of Topuria’s longtime adversaries.

Paddy Pimblett teases Ilia Topuria for not ‘signing the contract’ for UFC title showdown

In a recent Instagram post, Paddy Pimblett seemed to hint that he’s signed off to fight Topuria next year.

“‘Paddy why hasn’t [hand sanitizer boy] signed the contract yet?’” Pimblett posted on Friday.

As of this writing, there’s no substantial media reporting on Topuria vs. Pimblett being in the works for an upcoming card. But UFC CEO Dana White recently insinuated that Topuria could potentially headline the promotion’s first major card of 2026 when the Paramount+ broadcasting partnership goes into effect in January.

Topuria also has the lightweight division’s former king, Islam Makhachev, on his mind for his next potential fight. Makhachev will challenge UFC welterweight champion Jack Della Maddalena in the UFC 322 main event next month.

Topuria and Pimblett have been on each other’s nerves for years, stemming from a UFC London fighter hotel blowup in 2022. The two lightweights had a heated faceoff in the cage at UFC 317, and the two seemed destined for a potential clash.

Topuria hasn’t responded to Pimblett’s post, as of this writing, and the next UFC lightweight title fight remains a mystery. But Pimblett seems confident he’s in the UFC’s plans, and we should learn more information on a potential fight soon.