Ilia Topuria and Paddy Pimblett found themselves in the same hallway ahead of the UFC Qatar event, and it did not take long for old tensions to resurface. Both were in Doha to support teammates rather than compete, but the rivalry that began years ago sparked up the moment they noticed one another.
Topuria entered the building alongside his brother Aleksandre, giving a loud “What’s up bro?” toward Pimblett, who was waiting nearby before cornering teammate Luke Riley. Pimblett didn’t hesitate to respond, calling back, “What’s happening? You all right?”
At first it sounded civil, but that ended immediately when Topuria threw out an insult and called Pimblett a “p*ssy” as he walked inside the entrance. Pimblett fired right back with a jab of his own, telling him, “Come on chorizo, calm down.”
Paddy Pimblett and Ilia Topuria crossed paths in Qatar 👀
(via @KOlmeneroMMA) pic.twitter.com/iggnwqP43O
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) November 21, 2025
History Behind Their Feud
The heat between them did not begin in Qatar. Their rivalry dates back to their clash in London, where an argument escalated into Pimblett tossing a bottle of hand sanitizer at Topuria. From that moment on, Topuria began referring to Pimblett as “Hand Sanitizer Boy,” which stuck as one of the most memorable jabs between the two.
Their careers continued to intersect, most notably when Pimblett entered the cage for a brief staredown after Topuria claimed the lightweight belt with a knockout win earlier this year. That moment reignited speculation that the UFC would eventually book a fight between them.
With the UFC’s new broadcast partnership beginning in January, there has been continued talk around the possibility of Topuria and Pimblett finally meeting on a major event. Pimblett has repeatedly stated that he wants the fight, while Topuria has rarely missed an opportunity to remind him of their unfinished business.
As for this encounter in Qatar, UFC staff moved quickly to prevent the two from getting any closer, but the few seconds they shared were enough to show that the rivalry remains very real.
Whether it leads to an official matchup remains to be seen, but the verbal shots in Doha have made it clear that neither fighter plans to let the tension fade.
