Is Paddy Pimblett vs. Ilia Topuria one in every of MMA’s solely authentic rivalries?
Over the UFC’s 30+ 12 months run, there have been loads of iconic feuds. Liddell vs. Ortiz. Cormier vs. Jones. McGregor vs. Khabib. However in more moderen years, there’s been a big lack of true rivalries in blended martial arts, with one obvious exception.
“Wherever you fall, I feel at a minimal, what we will observe is going on right here is MMA has a real rivalry and there’s simply not numerous them on the market,” Chael Sonnen stated whereas discussing the continuing spat between Pimblett and Topuria on his YouTube channel.
“Ilia Topuria is now a much bigger star than Paddy ‘The Baddy’… do you need to combat me on that, do you argue? As a result of it will be a great argument. Paddy brings a whole nation with him, Ilia brings a whole nation with him. I’m giving the nod to Ilia as a result of he’s the champion, and since his subsequent combat is assured to be the principle occasion, as a result of his final combat was a major occasion for the world championship. Paddy has not but headlined a pay-per-view.”
Paddy Pimblett questions Ilia Topuria’s resume
Pimblett and Topuria’s rivalry dates again to a March 2022 incident forward of UFC London when ‘El Matador’ reportedly went after ‘The Baddy’ for disparaging remarks Pimblett made about Topuria’s residence nation, Georgia. As Pimblett tells it, Topuria got here at him able to throw arms, prompting the Liverpudlian to launch a bottle of hand sanitizer on the eventual featherweight champion.
Therefore why you’ll sometimes hear Pimblett seek advice from Topuria as “sanitizer boy.”
Throughout a latest interview with TNT Sports activities, Pimblett reignited their rivalry, claiming that ‘El Matador’ has been “hand-fed” opponents by way of his UFC profession.
“Boy, Paddy went fairly arduous. Paddy went fairly arduous at Ilia,” Sonnen continued. “He questioned each combat that he did. He stated, you recognize, that is solely honest that you’d query Ilia’s fights—everyone sit down and so they do the identical factor to me. However when you go have a look at Ilia’s report… as spectacular as it’s, there’s not a man on that report who a primed Michael Chandler or a primed me wouldn’t beat.”
