Morning Report: Paddy Pimblett predicts he’d beat Ilia Topuria ‘as fast as McGregor beat Aldo’

Paddy Pimblett would love to fight Ilia Topuria and repeat one of the most famous finishes in UFC history.

“The Baddy” is currently in position for a major opportunity after getting back in the win column with a spectacular 52-second submission of Benoit Saint Denis at UFC 329. Who he faces next might not be up to him as lightweight champion Justin Gaethje weighs his options, with names like Arman Tsarukyan and Ilia Topuria—the man Gaethje defeated at UFC White House to become champion—in the mix. Whichever option Gaethje doesn’t choose could end up falling to Pimblett.

If it’s Topuria, then he and Pimblett would get the chance to settle a grudge that has persisted for years, even when Topuria was becoming a champion at 145 pounds and Pimblett was rising through the 155-pound ranks. Unsurprisingly, Pimblett’s enthusiasm for the matchup has never waned, and he’s now suggesting a new wrinkle that would make Topuria’s downfall all the more satisfying.

“I’d love to fight Ilia Topuria,” Pimblett told Kolos MMA. “I’d send him back down to featherweight. I think me and Ilia Topuria would be a brilliant season of The Ultimate Fighter, because I’d get under his skin so much that when we come into the fight, I’d beat him just as fast as McGregor beat Aldo.“

Pimblett is, of course, referring to one of the crowning moments of Conor McGregor’s career, when he needed just 13 seconds to knock out Jose Aldo to become featherweight champion. Following a two-fight series with Nate Diaz, McGregor would go on to add the lightweight title to his trophy case and cement himself as a combat sports superstar.

That’s level of fame Pimblett is yet to reach, though he currently stands as one of the UFC’s most recognizable fighters, drawing an immediate reactions from fans whether he’s scheduled to compete or simply shown in the seats at an event. He was at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas when Topuria defeated Charles Oliveira to win the lightweight belt, and the two even faced off in the octagon afterwards, though a bout between them was never made official.

Currently, Topuria is angling for a Gaethje rematch, going as far as to accuse Gaethje of loading his gloves in their June meeting. It’s an allegation that Pimblett finds preposterous.

“He’s talking shit,” Pimblett said. “He’s making excuses now. He’s making excuses when he lost fair and square. I had better excuses than him when I got poked in the eye and kicked in the balls, but I never used them. I just said the better man won on the night.

“It was fate. It was destiny for Justin to beat me so he could go on to beat Ilia at the White House. That was Justin’s destiny, it was always going to happen, so for Ilia to try and take some of it away from him, it just shows what a piece of shit Ilia is.”

Pimblett’s No. 1 choice would be to book the Gaethje fight, but he may have to wait after top contender Arman Tsarukyan scored a statement knockout win over Mauricio Ruffy at UFC 331. Tsarukyan’s boisterous persona rubs Pimblett the wrong away, and Pimblett welcomes the opportunity to put his hands on him as well.

“I obviously want to be a world champion so I’d pick Gaethje, but if there was no belt on the line at all between any of them, I want to beat Ilia Topuria up, so I’d probably pick him,” Pimblett said, later adding, “I actually respect Ilia, I think he’s a good fighter. He’s worked hard for where he is, but I don’t respect Arman. He’s had everything handed to him on a silver platter. He eats $2,000 caviar for breakfast. He’s a rich kid. … Arman’s just a little bitch and at some point I’ll fight him and at some point I’ll render him unconscious with a choke or a strike.”

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UFC 332 TIME LET’S GOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

UFC 332: Silva vs. Wang. Who you got?

Listen, this isn't the main event anyone expected, but it's the main event we're getting, so quit yer cryin' and deal with it!

What I meant to say is, Natalia Silva fights Wang Cong in this Saturday's UFC 332 main event with Valentina Shevchenko's recently vacated flyweight title on the line. A high stakes affair, certainly.

Silva sports a spotless 8-0 UFC record, while Wang has won four straight and can claim a 2015 kickboxing win over Shevchenko. Oh, the intrigue!

So, who's leaving Salt Lake City with a shiny belt Saturday?

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