Paddy Pimblett Admits Inferiority to Ilia Topuria in Humble Training Confession

Fans are buzzing over the potential clash between lightweight champion Ilia Topuria and Liverpool’s own Paddy Pimblett. Both are young, dangerous, and hungry for dominance, and if they ever meet in the Octagon, it could have the intensity of a lion facing a tiger. Looking back, ‘El Matador’ last fought in June at UFC 317, moving up to lightweight and shutting down Charles Oliveira in the first round to claim the vacant belt. As a result, he’s now the undisputed champion, striking fear into anyone in the division.

Meanwhile, Paddy Pimblett remains undefeated in the UFC, riding a seven-fight win streak. His last outing was in April at UFC 314, where he brutally dismantled Michael Chandler with elbows and punches, firmly establishing himself as a force to be reckoned with. Since then, ‘The Baddy’ has mostly stayed off the radar, hopping from country to country.

Paddy Pimblett acknowledges striking gap ahead of potential Ilia Topuria clash

On his YouTube channel, he explained that straight after the fight, he flew to Dubai for two weeks, followed by a week in Cyprus and six weeks in America. After briefly returning home, he was off again, then back for just a day before heading to Las Vegas for a week to corner Nathan in his fight. Altogether, Paddy Pimblett estimates he has only been in England for about three weeks since April. Now, however, he’s back in the gym, settling into training with his team. Coach Paul Rimmer sounded relieved. He admitted, “Good to have Paddy back in. He’s only just starting really, so we’re not overdoing anything—just doing a bit of volume, getting him back to it, managing all the injuries that we dealt with in the past with a bit of work as well. We’re not rushing anything at the moment.”

Regarding Paddy Pimblett’s next fight, Rimmer teased, “Hopefully some big fight news coming soon.” As for who that fight might be against, whether it will be Ilia Topuria, is still up in the air. ‘El Matador’ has turned into one of the UFC’s deadliest strikers, moving from featherweight to lightweight and taking down elite opponents like Alexander Volkanovski, Max Holloway, and Charles Oliveira.

And Pimblett isn’t rushing it, knowing he needs his timing sharp before facing someone of Ilia Topuria’s caliber. In the YouTube video, Paddy Pimblett shared, “Five rounds in the bag there. My striking timing doesn’t feel there at the minute, to be honest. Last week my striking timing felt good. And I done five rounds with Luke. So, it’s just I probably woke up on the wrong side of the bed today. Obviously, I’ve got to get that striking timing better if I’m fighting El Chorizo(Ilia Topuria). That’s a lot of what I’m going to work on.”

The Liverpudlian’s next fight is still under wraps, keeping fans guessing. Earlier this year, ‘The Baddy’ laid out his own roadmap for a title shot, eyeing a return in October in Abu Dhabi with a potential championship bout next year. For now, all of it is in the hands of Dana White and UFC brass, leaving the MMA world on tenterhooks for the official word.

Pimblett likens his wrestling style to Khamzat Chimaev

Khamzat Chimaev has cemented himself as the UFC’s wrestling phenom. At UFC 319 last month, he dominated Dricus Du Plessis, claimed a unanimous decision, and won the Middleweight Championship. During the fight, he landed 12 takedowns and controlled the ground game for over 21 minutes, smothering Du Plessis while raining down a record number of strikes. Du Plessis struggled to create space and managed only fleeting moments of offense in the final round. Ultimately, Chimaev covered him like a blanket, leaving no doubt about his grappling supremacy.

Meanwhile, lightweight star Paddy Pimblett sees shades of Chimaev in his own wrestling. Although he hasn’t fully dialed in his striking yet, he exudes absolute confidence on the mat. “My grappling always feels phenomenal. As you see in them rounds, when I get people on the floor, they don’t get up. I smother people, like Khamzat against DDP at the weekend. Once I get you down and I’m on top of you and I’m smiling—you know you’re not getting up, lad. I’m controlling you,” he said in the same video.

Pimblett and Chimaev may both be grapplers, but their styles couldn’t be more different. Chimaev dominates with elite wrestling, relentless takedowns, and top control. Pimblett thrives in scrambles and submission-focused grappling, turning chaos into opportunities. Could Pimblett become a nightmare for Ilia Topuria? It’s hard to say. Fans, what do you think—could the Liverpool star shock the division? Drop your opinions below.