Remember back in 2022, when Dana White & Co. were preparing for their highly anticipated London event at the O2 Arena? They booked Tom Aspinall versus Alexander Volkov as the main event—but that wasn’t what stole the spotlight. Just days before the fight, media attention swerved sharply toward an explosive altercation between two of the UFC’s rising stars: Ilia Topuria and Paddy Pimblett. The spark? A resurfaced tweet from the Brit, referencing the 2008 Russia-Georgia war.

While feuding online with someone described as Topuria’s “close friend,” Paddy Pimblett fired off a remark that struck a nerve, “Now I understand why Russia destroyed Georgia, because you’re dumb.” , an insult that enraged Georgians everywhere, especially Ilia Topuria. What started as an online spat quickly escalated in real life. During fight week for UFC Fight Night 204 in London, tensions erupted at the fighter hotel. ‘El Matador’ and Pimblett clashed—throwing punches and even hurling a sanitizer bottle.

But here’s what many don’t know: that fiery hotel altercation nearly cost ‘El Matador’ his UFC career.

Chael Sonnen reveals what Ilia Topuria risked in his altercation with Paddy Pimblett

The infamous incident even gave birth to the Englishman’s infamous jab, mocking Ilia Topuria as “sanitizer boy.” Fast forward to 2025, and while the two shared a quick smile and high five earlier this year, the hostility clearly hasn’t vanished. Today, the Georgian standout stands further ahead in the rankings—he’s already claimed the featherweight belt, vacated it, and moved up to lightweight. Meanwhile, Paddy Pimblett is just one win away from a title shot of his own.

But back in 2022, things weren’t so clear-cut. According to UFC veteran Chael Sonnen, that hotel incident nearly cost Ilia Topuria his job. Speaking on his YouTube channel, Uncle Sonnen recalled just how much of a star Paddy Pimblett was at the time—especially fighting on home turf:

“He was the main attraction. And some dude in the back, some 145-pounder, decides to get into it with the cash cow. And so my team is showing me—they’re showing it on all these screens behind me. I’m thinking, ‘This guy’s going to get cut.'”

That same night, Ilia Topuria made his lightweight debut against Jai Herbert. Despite facing a significant height disadvantage, the Georgian powerhouse knocked down the 6’1″ Herbert in a thrilling, albeit brief, battle. On the same card, Paddy Pimblett energized his home crowd by submitting Kazula Vargas in the first round. Both men walked away with performance bonuses.

Since then, ‘El Matador’  has officially moved up to the lightweight division, and with Paddy Pimblett just a win away from title contention, the long-teased showdown between the two might finally become a reality inside the Octagon.

Ilia Topuria warns “pain in the a–” Paddy Pimblett ahead of potential clash

Ilia Topuria vs. Paddy Pimblett has long been brewing as one of the UFC’s most anticipated rivalries. From the very beginning, both men have shown an unrelenting hunger and a fierce drive to dominate—not just inside the Octagon, but also on the mic. Though their potential showdown may still be a year away, the tension between them makes it feel inevitable. Their mutual disdain is deeply rooted, and there’s no sign of it fading anytime soon.

Both are young, dynamic, trash-talking fighters who know how to sell a fight. Their back-and-forths have been as intense outside the cage as their performances have been within it. For a while, though, the heat between them seemed to cool—at least on the surface. That changed recently, as ‘El Matador’ prepares for the biggest fight of his career: a lightweight title bout against Charles Oliveira at UFC 317.

Ahead of that matchup, Topuria reignited the feud in an interview with ESPN Deportes, stating:

“Honestly, if I could choose a fight, I’d fight him because I hate him. He’s a pain in the ass… He’s a hypocrite,”said Topuria. “I’ll tell you, I remember we shared a press conference once, and he said something like ‘I’m fighting in the main card and you’re on the prelims.’ Now I’m thinking, I have two belts. Where are you? Who the f—k is Paddy Pimblett right now?”

With Ilia Topuria now rising through the ranks of the 155-pound division, one burning question remains:
Can he dismantle the hungry, 30-year-old British sensation if they finally meet in the Octagon?
Drop your prediction below