Paddy Pimblett Sets Rivalry Aside To Back Ilia Topuria

Paddy Pimblett and Ilia Topuria have been at odds since the inception of their UFC careers and never fail to take a dig or shove each other whenever they come close or get a chance.

However, ‘The Baddy’ recently set the long-running beef aside and wished Topuria the best, as the latter is going through some personal issues and has decided not to enter the octagon in the first quarter of 2026.

In Topuria’s absence, to keep the lightweight division running, Justin Gaethje and Pimblett will fight at UFC 324 for the interim lightweight championship. The winner will face Topuria in a unification bout when he returns.

Recently, after the UFC’s 2026 seasonal presser, the Brit appeared in an interview with Full Send MMA. Pimblett wished Topuria well during the conversation, but he asserted that since the Georgian-Spaniard is out of the cage, ‘The Baddy’ will regard himself as the champion after defeating Gaethje at UFC 324.

“Me and Ilia might not like each other, but I wish him all the best with his family sh*t. But when I win the belt, I’m the champion now. I don’t care if it says interim, I’m the champ, he’s out of the cage.”

Check out Paddy Pimblett’s comments below:

Justin Gaethje wants to spoil potential Ilia Topuria vs. Paddy Pimblett bout

Justin Gaethje wants to kill the hype for a potential Ilia Topuria vs. Paddy Pimblett fight, which fans have now longed to see, especially after the UFC 317 face-off.

‘The Highlight’ has done it once before to Tony Ferguson and plans on giving Pimblett the same fate. He said:

“I want to play spoiler, just like I did with Khabib and Tony. I’m gonna f*** this up for everybody. Then I’m gonna fight Ilia on the White House card.”

Check out Justin Gaethje’s comments below:

Gaethje vs. Pimblett is expected to be a competitive fight, and many think ‘The Highlight’ has a better chance of winning if it is a striking fest, as he prefers. But if Pimblett drags him to the mat, the Liverpudlian can turn the tide in his favor.