Paddy Pimblett Calls Ilia Topuria Damaged Goods After Gaethje Loss
Paddy Pimblett says Ilia Topuria will never be the same after losing to Justin Gaethje at UFC Freedom 250.
Paddy Pimblett is not letting Ilia Topuria's first professional defeat go unnoticed. Speaking to All Out Fighting, the Liverpool fighter called his longtime rival "damaged goods" following Topuria's loss to Justin Gaethje at UFC Freedom 250 in June.
Topuria's corner stopped the fight after four rounds, handing the former two-division champion his first career loss. Pimblett believes the defeat left a permanent mark.
"He's never lost before, so I don't think he'll ever be the same when he comes back," Pimblett said. He added that while he respects Topuria as "a very good fighter," he doesn't see the Spaniard handling him well. "I'm too big and too long for him."
Pimblett drew on his own experience to make the point. He said he lost his first fight at 18 and had to rebuild himself, then went through the same process again in his early twenties. Topuria, around 27, had built an aura of invincibility that is now cracked.
"That's in his head, and I'll prove that if I end up fighting him next," Pimblett said. The former Cage Warriors champion has been idle since submitting Benoit Saint-Denis in July and appears eager for a marquee name to return against.
The rivalry between Pimblett and Topuria has simmered for years. With Topuria coming off his first loss and Pimblett looking for a dance partner, the matchup suddenly makes more sense than ever, per Sherdog.
I love the confidence from Paddy, but calling Topuria damaged goods is a stretch. Topuria lost to Gaethje, a stone cold killer at 155 who has been in wars with the best lightweights on earth. That is not the same as getting exposed.
That said, Pimblett is not wrong that the loss changes things. Topuria walked through featherweight and lightweight like he was playing on easy mode. Now everyone knows there is a path to beating him. The mystique is gone, and Pimblett is smart to try to capitalize.
Would I pick Paddy in that fight? Probably not. But the fact that he wants it tells me he believes in his grappling advantage, and honestly, Topuria's takedown defense at lightweight has not been tested by a wrestler with Pimblett's length and activity. It would be a fun fight, and the build would be absolutely unhinged. Make it happen, Dana.
