Watch: Ilia Topuria outlines path to ‘one of many greatest fights within the UFC historical past’ in opposition to Paddy Pimblett

If Ilia Topuria is profitable in his bid this weekend to change into the most recent member of the UFC’s two-division champion membership, he says he’s ideally positioned for a field workplace bonanza title defence in opposition to Paddy Pimblett.

The 2 fighters have been linked to 1 one other for a number of years, stemming from a behind-the-scenes incident forward of a UFC occasion in London on the peak of Covid-enforced lockdown through which each briefly got here to blows — with Pimblett adorning his rival with the nickname ‘hand sanitiser boy’ after he threw a container of the substance in the direction of Topuria.

Now, a number of years later, the rivalry come change into a big money-spinner for each. Topuria battles the previous champion Charles Oliveira on this weekend’s UFC 317 essential occasion to find out a brand new 155-pound champion following Islam Makhachev’s choice to relinquish his crown forward of his personal try at changing into a champion in two divisions. Makhachev is linked to a November title bout with welterweight champion Jack Della Maddalena in New York Metropolis.

“That struggle simply may very well be one of many greatest within the UFC historical past,” Topuria instructed reporters, together with The Mac Life, at Wednesday’s pre-fight press convention in Las Vegas, as transcribed by MMA Fighting. “Pay attention, I don’t… [nothing is] private on this recreation. It’s all skilled.”

For his half, Pimblett has additionally talked up a possible bout with Topuria, and has confirmed he can be in attendance contained in the T-Cell Enviornment on Saturday night time the place he can be readily available to reply any potential in-cage callouts ought to Topuria be victorious.

That mentioned, Topuria has his palms full together with his first order of enterprise: Oliveira. The Brazilian submission knowledgeable is among the light-weight division’s most artful finishers and can present a stern check to Topuria, who has earned a fame as one of many organisation’s most dominant fighters since he made his debut. Oliveira has been defeated simply twice since late 2017, to Islam Makhachev and this weekend’s essential occasion backup fighter, Arman Tsarukyan.