Paddy Pimblett thinks Ilia Topuria is afraid to sign the contract against Max Holloway and after the BMF Champion’s last performance… who could blame him?
Topuria “Knows What’ll Happen” In Holloway Fight, Says Old Rival
Holloway showed he’s a force to be reckoned with at not only 145lbs, but at 155lbs as well, notching a ferocious buzzer-beater knockout of Justin Gaethje at UFC 300. The win over the top contender opened all sorts of doors for Holloway with his next fight more than likely coming against champ Topuria later this year.
We still have yet to get a date for the highly-anticipated featherweight title fight between Topuria and Holloway, which UFC Lightweight Pimblett claims Topuria’s “scared” to take.
“I think I’ve got the same [prediction] as everyone,” Pimblett said of Topuria vs. Holloway on his YouTube channel. “Everyone’s picking Max, know what I mean? Hand sanitizer boy’s scared to take the fight, doesn’t want to take the fight against Max because he knows what’ll happen.”
In February, Topuria beat the man who took the featherweight throne from Holloway in 2019, blitzing Alexander Volkanovski for a second-round knockout in their fight at UFC 298. Volkanovski’s KO loss was his second in a span of four months, also losing to champ Islam Makhachev in his failed conquest for lightweight gold at UFC 294.
While Topuria stands atop the featherweight division, his rival Pimblett believes his title win was a result of good timing against “The Great”.
“He fought [Alexander] Volkanovski at the perfect time coming back after getting knocked out like ten weeks later. He got lucky there, to be honest,” Pimblett said of Topuria’s title win.
Pimblett Wants To Fight Islam Makhachev Or “Whoever’s Got The Belt”
Paddy “The Baddy” has had a couple of run-ins with Ilia Topuria himself back in 2022, getting a hand sanitizer bottle thrown at him at a UFC host hotel and then almost coming to blows yet again at the UFC 282 press conference. Now divisions apart and a title won for Topuria, Pimblett says his dream fight is not Conor McGregor (surprisingly) but a fight for the lightweight title.
“I think obviously everyone says that they want to fight Conor McGregor just because the money involved. For me personally, it’s Islam Makhachev,” Pimblett said, on the fight he wants the most. “Whoever’s got the belt, you want to fight whoever’s got the belt you want to prove that you’re the best in the world.
Pimblett Eyes “Money” After UFC 304
The unranked Pimblett has the opportunity to crack the top 15 with a win over Bobby “King” Green, when he meets him on home soil in Manchester, England. After that, the Liverpool-native wouldn’t mind fighting another contender that’s been chirping at him for quite some time.
“Once I get through Bobby we’ll see what happens with Moicano. Everyone wanted to see me versus [Renato] Moicano, so once I beat Bobby, let’s see where Moicano’s up to.”
Renato “Money” Moicano called for a fight with Paddy Pimblett following his win at UFC 300, but that opportunity would go to Bobby Green, who called for a fight with the Brit the same night.
